


Origin

by Tolaya



Series: On Seeker Habits [2]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Creation, Death, Destiny, Drama, Dubious Consent, Hope, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Multi, Mysticism, Non-Consensual, Past/Present/Future, Rape, Sexual Content, Survival, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-14
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-01-19 08:59:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 74,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1463428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tolaya/pseuds/Tolaya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'On Seeker Habits'. Starscream is together with Thundercracker and Skywarp back among their people. But the seekers haven't been left unscarred by the missing presence of their leader and the orns following their return is filled with spilled energon as Thundercracker cements his position as their Winglord. Peace seems to settle afterwards, but little do they know that something is going to drag the seekers into the war between the Autobots and Decepticons again. Starscream is haunted by nightmares and a sense of dread which leads him to leave Cybertron. What he discovers on Earth is leading to a startling revelation and the final end of the war between the two grounder factions forever. Now is just to see how the Autobots and Decepticons are going to survive and handle Thundercracker as their ultimate leader.</p>
<p>UPDATE 20.6.2016: NEW CHAPTER!!! :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome dear reader to the sequel to On Seeker Habits. If you aren't familiar with this universe i suggest you go and read it and then returns to Origin afterward. This is a rather AU story featuring the seekers as a seperate race with tradition and culture of their own, which is heavily described in On Seeker Habits. Origin is leaning heavily on it.
> 
> For those of you familiar with On Seeker Habits. I bid you welcome to the prologue to Origin. The prologue is going to feature the orns following Thundercracker's return to Cybertron and the fate of their people. Future chapters will not rely completely on it, since i plan to have chapter 1 jump to 8-9 lunar cycles after the happenings in the prologue. I just felt you needed to know how everything went after their return and how the seekers fared in the absence of their Winglord.
> 
> I hope you will feel as satisfied as i am after you have read it.
> 
> For the muse: "Uncover" by Zara Larsson. I suggest listening to it while reading, or simply just listening to it in general. It is a nice piece of music, really inspiring and i feel that it fits the agenda for Origin as a whole perfectly.
> 
> Time measurements:
> 
> Klik - 1 second
> 
> Breem - 2 minutes
> 
> Cycle - 1 hour
> 
> Orn - 31 hours
> 
> Solar cycle - 1 week
> 
> Lunar cycle - 1 month
> 
> Stellar cycle - 1 year
> 
> Vorn - 83 years

Pure carnage.

Worse than the worst massacre he has witnessed during the Autobot and Decepticon war.

It is impossible to compare the scene in front of him with anything he has ever seen before.

Beside him, Skywarp leans casually against Spitfire, the carrier's smaller creations covering him completely as they watch their Sire fight against challenger after challenger.

The black and purple seeker doesn't twitch once, not even when Thundercracker roars in pain as his left wing is almost torn from his back. The next moment the severed wing sails towards Starscream and lands just short of his thruster, ripped from the blue frame by Thundercracker himself.

That Starscream somehow understands. The wing is useless anyway, and is just going to be a hindrance in the vicious fighting, and any hindrance is going to cost the Winglord his life.

Fangs are bared and Thundercracker tenses in preparation before he lunges at his opponent, ripping into the challenger's neck, and ruthlessly severs the helm from the frame.

The victorious roar reverberates all over the gathered group of their seekers, their people.

Then the next challenger is pushed forth, hateful yellow optics staring at the battered frame of the Winglord. Thundercracker is a mess, and with his wing severed, is unable to take to the sky and weaken his opponent with his sigma.

/What do you plead?/ Thundercracker growls, crouching in preparation for the new fight, flexing his claws menacingly.

/Staraxis was weak. I don't regret killing him,/ the challenger answers, tone a defiant sneer.

/Staraxis was a strong and worthy clan leader. Ganging up on him like you and so many others did to your own peoples leaders in my absence is not how our society works. Fair and worthy challenges, not outright murder!/ Thundercracker roars, energon splashing from several wounds as he prepares for the intense fight.

This is the final challenge, the last in a long row of executions of seekers going rogue in his absence and the fact that he is still standing, however battered, is a testimony to their people that Thundercracker is still very much their Winglord.

The energon-drenched ground and the pile of carcasses in the periphery of the battle field is another warning to never break their ancient rules. Death is a fact in their lives, but the rules are strict so the deaths don't become pointless murder.

When the fight begins, Starscream almost looks away, but the harsh words Skywarp told him before all this began are stark in his processor and he forces himself to look on, even if his spark bleeds at the sight of Thundercracker once again risking his life.

_/You are a member of the Winglord's trine. Never show weakness, don't look away no matter how bad it looks. This is how we are; you need to harden yourself to be able to watch the death matches. Everyone's optics are going to be on us, and especially you since you are new to them./_ Skywarp had sternly explained.

Out of the corner of his optics he can see Skywarp smile and nod to him before the black and purple seeker turns to watch the fight.

::It will be over soon. Relax, Starscream. Thundercracker is strong, and if you didn't believe it before, you can see it for yourself now. He isn't going to lose. He has something to fight for – righteousness.:: Skywarp soothes over the bond, closing out Thundercracker for a moment so as not to distract the dominant from the ongoing fight.

::I'm trying. But all that damage… His wing. His plating. He is bleeding out. How can you be this calm in the face of all that damage?:: Starscream protests weakly, while he powerlessly watches Thundercracker receive new wounds to his already battered frame. At some point it becomes too much for him, and he simply flees reality by retreating into the safety of his own processor, the sound of the intense fighting going on in front of him blessedly blurring into almost nothing.

::The same way Spitfire and our younger creations are watching this. I'm used to seeing these fights. Granted, this is to the extremes, but the accusations are also severe and our absence has weakened Thundercracker's position as Winglord in the society. This way he regains our people's faith while also sentencing the guilty for the murders of their clan leaders in unfair challenges.:: Skywarp calmly explains.

Any further talk between them is disrupted by another roar from Thundercracker. When Starscream refocuses on the two combatants, the sight chills his energon. A long, deep gouge in Thundercracker's chestplates is bleeding profusely, vulnerable circuitry and sparkchamber exposed by a torn-open hinge.

::Skywarp…:: He panics over the bond, this time forgetting to block out Thundercracker. He is too distressed to realize that what he is doing is distracting Thundercracker, and Skywarp's warning hiss is drowned out by an unholy roar from the dominant.

::MINE TO PROTECT! MINE TO SHIELD!:: Thundercracker bellows through the bond, shocking both submissives. The infusion of rage in the Winglord is almost suffocating.

The next moment Skywarp shields Starscream and Spitfire is in front of Skywarp and his creations, just as the sonic boom is unleashed in close proximity, flattening anyone unprepared and jarring the two submissives and the young dominant shielding them.

::Not good,:: Skywarp communicates through the bond, trying to find his footing and checking the wellbeing of his creations. Small confused chirrs leave the seekerlings and seekerlets and Spitfire shakes his helm, trying to regain his focus and be prepared to protect his Sire's submissives again should it be needed. His own mates aren't present, which is why he doesn't have any conflicting priorities.

Starscream places a servo to his chestplates and checks on his newspark. Nothing seems to have jarred it; it is just himself who is shaken from the sheer force unleashed by his mate.

::Sorry. I forgot,:: he apologizes, optics wide as he turns to look at Thundercracker. The dominant's protective coding has activated because of his unblocked fearful outburst and Thundercracker is thoroughly mauling his opponent, claws and fangs slicing and tearing at the defenseless seeker.

Slowly he is aware of the spectators recovering, and he can feel their terror at the vicious sight of their Winglord caught in the madness created by the protective coding.

::I don't think anyone is going to challenge him for a while after this.:: Skywarp adds in a voice unusually light. ::Not as long as you are carrying.::

Starscream chuckles nervously and with relief, watches as Thundercracker finally finishes with his opponent's carcass and carelessly throws it onto the pile with the others.

His relief, however, is short, because with the fight over with, Thundercracker turns to him, optics flashing white with coding.

Spitfire moves a safe distance away from his carrier and carra. His creator isn't going to be able to recognize him as long as the coding flows through Thundercracker. Starscream suddenly feels extremely vulnerable, and the emotions flowing through the bond makes Thundercracker bare his fangs in a hiss.

/Go to him,/ Skywarp urges, gently pushing at him to move before Thundercracker begins to walk to him.

Starscream is self-conscious about all the optics fixed on him as he takes stumbling step after stumbling step, bringing him within reach of his dominant. Fearful, he lifts his helm and looks up at Thundercracker, the smell of the energon flowing from the wounds nauseating.

The white optics follow the line of his frame, mapping him out before claws begins to trace his plating, checking him for any hurt. The dominant's helm cants and the white gaze fixates on his chestplates, the claws kneading the plating, clearly sensing the life pulsing within his sparkchamber.

Slowly white is replaced by yellow and Thundercracker whirrs his helm to clear his processor of the after-effect of the protective coding.

Starscream is unable to stifle a small sob at the sight, and the tiny sound is enough to momentarily reactivate the coding again, white flashing in the dominant's optics before it goes completely dormant.

The mangled remains of Thundercracker's left wing hinge rattles and he kneels in front of Starscream, embracing the now trembling tricolored seeker and folding his right wing to shield them from the attention of their people.

/Are you okay, Starscream?/ Thundercracker gently asks, his helm resting against the submissive's chestplates, sighing at the sensation of the two pulsing sparks.

/Yes,/ Starscream answers, his helm feeling strangely light. Before he knows it, awareness is leaving him. Thundercracker, sensing him slip away, supports his slack frame before gently lifting him and leaving the battle field. Skywarp follows silently, wings held high in a daring challenge to the optics warily watching them as they leave the area to care for their third.

Thundercracker's position is secured and reinforced.

Now they just need to find the seekers able to fill the dozen open clan leader spots in their society and peace can settle. Until then, the 'Swiftstrike' clan is larger than ever before, with the momentary merge of the leaderless clans. Until the new leaders are found, Thundercracker is their direct leader to prevent any further destruction of the ranks.

Swiftstrike looks up when the trio walks towards Thundercracker's resting area, the clan leader taking in his creation's severe damages with worry.

He himself only survived the divide of their people due to Spitfire's support. The Winglord's eldest dominant creation easily discouraged everyone from trying to hit the leading clan leader's position in Thundercracker's absence.

The fact that Thundercracker suddenly went missing, and no transfer of the glyph happened to reinforce Swiftstrike's command over their people was what led to the infraction and destruction of the ranking in several of the clans.

In that, Megatron succeeded in his goal.

But now Thundercracker is back, and slowly normalcy is taking over.

Most of the dissidence is calming.

And the new member completing the Winglord Trine is easing the worst rebelliousness among their people. They have waited for Thundercracker to complete his trine for so long, and now that he has, curiosity turns towards the Winglord Third and the new member in their society.

So far, no one has dared to talk to Starscream. The fact that he is carrying together with the instability in their society make Thundercracker guard him fiercely. But the dominant's protectiveness isn't silencing the talking among their people and can't stop the curious glances shot at the unusually tricolored seeker.

Thundercracker lowers Starscream gently into the soft nesting material, servos caressing the innocent faceplates, and a small smile forms on his lips when a soft sigh escapes the submissive's black lips.

/Let me tend to you./ Skywarp murmurs, sitting down beside the recharging Starscream and tugging gently at Thundercracker to do likewise. The wounds are still running with fresh energon, and need to be closed soon or Thundercracker is going to bleed out.

/Allow me to strengthen you, my Winglord?/ Swiftstrike asks submissively, offering his wrist for Thundercracker to feed from. Right now Thundercracker is the most important seeker in their society, and his survival is essential to their further existence.

/Creator…/ the blue seeker whispers, yellow optics bright, lips slightly agape. Things must truly have been bad for his creator to change like this.

/No, Thundercracker. You need this. Things are stabilizing, but your current weakness is a threat to our people as a whole. We need you back on your thrusters and in the air as fast as possible. You have seeded fear in them for the moment, but soon they are going to see how weak you are and true challenges are going to come forth," Swiftstrike protests adamantly, his yellow optics hardening as he severs the energon lines in his wrist with a claw. The scent of the desperately needed fuel is what finally breaks the Winglord.

When Thundercracker sits down to feed from his creator, Skywarp instantly pounces on the mangled remains of the left wing, nanites ready to seal the horrendous damage. While he works, Spitfire walks up to their resting area, the discarded wing in his claws, and he gently places it beside his creator. It is useless and un-attachable, but the metal in it is precious and is going to support Thundercracker in the regrowth of the new.

After that the young dominant hesitates for a while, torn between leaving or staying until Thundercracker nods and gestures for him to rest with them.

/Carri is bringing your mates,/ Thundercracker adds to the nervous flicker of the red wings.

/Good, because I can't fragging deal with all this damage alone./ Skywarp grumbles as he seals torn line after line. /Sit down and relax, Spit. Your Sire isn't going to hurt you,/ he adds when Spitfire just keeps standing as if ready to flee at any sign of hostility from the Winglord.

Moments later, the sound of hushed voices grows and they all look up to see Thundercracker's carrier and Spitfire's two mates walking towards them. Their wings are communicating in a frenzied flurry and worry is the most obvious emotion visible in them.

/Sky Above! My poor little 'Loud in the air'!/ the carrier exclaims when they look towards the gathering at the resting area and before Thundercracker knows it, he is almost tackled to the ground with his carrier on top of him, fussing and checking every single scratch on his frame with horror.

This is the reason why he banned the blue and yellow seeker from watching the fighting. But he can't prevent his carrier from fussing over him afterwards, and with an exasperated sigh he allows claws to gingerly inspect every inch of his frame.

/I'm not dying, Carri. Please stop fussing so Skywarp can carry on with the repairs,/ he argues after a while.

/And your wing… Oh my poor creation./ The carrier keeps fussing, not even listening to the protests. It is only when Skywarp gently places a servo on a trembling wing and reaches the other with the nanites to the carrier that the fussing stops and silence takes over as the four submissives tends to the Winglord's injuries.

With a deep sigh and a thankful thought to Skywarp through the bond, Thundercracker relaxes and dozes off. The care to his frame is soothing the worst of the hurt, and the energon in his tank is strengthening him, but the loss of essential fluids has been great and that as well as the damages is taxing for him.

Swiftstrike shares a worried glance with Spitfire when Thundercracker so carelessly enters recharge in their presence.

It is true that they are close, but a dominant usually never trusts another dominant to be this close while he rests, especially when in such a vulnerable state.

It speaks volumes about the extent of the damages Thundercracker has suffered, and the clan leader fears that it will take a long while before the Winglord is able to rule them. That means that he will have to stand a united front with the seekers who supported him during Thundercracker's absence, until Thundercracker is well enough to take over.

Drawn from his worry, he narrows his optics and turns his attention towards the sound of approaching steps.

Silvershade and Crossfire stop a respectful distance away, wings held properly submissive as they watch the hurried work on Thundercracker's frame to seal the wounds.

/Salvacia and Allevaria have asked me to offer their services to the Winglord,/ Silvershade speaks after a moment's silence, optics on the severed wing. Allevaria might be able to reattach it if it happens soon.

Skywarp looks up from his work, momentarily stunned at the offer, and then he smiles widely and rises to greet the two dominants properly.

/The Winglord Trine welcomes the generous offer. Tell your mates that Thundercracker accepts their offer of healing,/ he replies, accepting the offer to restore Thundercracker faster. He trusts Silvershade and his mates, his own encounters with the pair of healers something that binds them close.

/I and my mates offer to take care of your creations in the time it takes Thundercracker to recover,/ Crossfire speaks up when the first offer is accepted. He is aware that his offer is more delicate. It all relies on the trust Skywarp has in him to not hurt or kill the Winglord's creations, and his ability to protect them from those who might want to.

Swiftstrike bristles at the offer, the elder dominant protectively hugging one of the seekerlets to him, optics narrow and distrusting, but it is up to Skywarp to decide. They are his creations and he has the first and last say in any matter regarding their welfare.

/'Violent Wind' is still too young to leave me, but the others are fine. I accept your offer with the demand that they all recharge by my side during the night./ Skywarp answers, affectionately rubbing his cockpit where his youngest still rests.

Crossfire accepts the demand and trills a tune to get the seekerlings and seekerlets' attention. They flock to him in response, curious yellow optics eager and bright as they leave the mature seekers to work undisturbed on their Sire. Then Crossfire turns away from the grisly sight of Thundercracker's mangled, energon splattered frame and leaves the area to meet up with his trine. Silvershade escorts him away, before seeking out his own mates to send them to assist Skywarp and the other submissives.

* * *

Thundercracker slowly regains awareness as he rouses from recharge to a warm and burning sensation in his frame originating from his left wing hinge.

The sensation grows exponentially and soon becomes outright unpleasant when a previously numb and missing sensornet begins to send countless messages to his processor, telling him that his left wing is practically on fire.

The flood of data causes him to online his optics with a snarl, and he tries to roll his frame to deal with the unpleasant intense burning feeling, but a heavy weight on his back efficiently pins him down while the burning just grows and grows.

As he howls in pain, his processor works with the mystery of when and how he ended up on his front? He clearly remembers entering recharge on his back.

/Calm down, Thundercracker,/ Skywarp growls near his audio, a soothing servo on his right wing.

/No! Let me up!/ the blue dominant snarls, claws digging into the ground to use it to throw the weight on his back off. His instincts are howling in outrage. He is too vulnerable like this. Easy prey for anyone who wants to kill him, and there are still many of those among their people. He is weakened, vulnerable. It is going to be his death, and the death of his mates, of their creations, of…Starscream's unborn…

/No! No, Thundercracker! Everyone CLEAR! Rouse Starscream!/ Skywarp is off of Thundercracker instantly, backing away, dragging Spitfire with him while the carrier is by Starscream and gently trying to wake him.

Without the burden on his back, Thundercracker rises in all his impressive might, white optics scanning his surroundings, wings flared, his left wing hanging a bit from where Allevaria still needs to properly reattach it.

/Calm down, Thundercracker. No one is going to hurt you or any of us,/ Skywarp tries to soothe, taking a tentative step forward, but stops at a threatening hiss from the dominant. He clearly isn't the one Thundercracker needs at the moment and his optics flicker to where the carrier finally has managed to rouse Starscream.

::Rise and shine, Starscream. Thundercracker wants you. Please do whatever it is he demands from you so he calms down and we can continue our work on him.:: Skywarp explains to the tricolored seeker, unsure what is needed to calm Thundercracker enough to send the protective coding into dormancy again.

Was Thundercracker like this when it just were the two of them? he wonders, not remembering Thundercracker ever being this aggressive during his own times of carrying, but then, he hadn't been the target himself back then.

::What did you do to make him react like this?:: Starscream asks nervously, watching as the blue and yellow carrier backs away from him and out of range of Thundercracker when the dominant's white optics turns their attention onto Starscream.

::It seemed like a good idea to reattach his wing while he recharged. Turns out he didn't like that we rearranged him to do so,:: Skywarp explains in a small voice, slightly hurt by the fact that it is Starscream Thundercracker is so focused on. Never before has he had his dominant hiss threateningly at him like this.

::It was you who told ME that dominants don't like laying on their fronts when they are vulnerable.:: Starscream points out as he lifts his helm to stare up at the dominant towering above him, fluttering his wings enticingly and trilling a small soothing tune to Thundercracker.

::I know. I know. Just get him calmed down, please. It is thoughts about losing you and your newspark that triggered his coding, so it is only you who is able to deal with him, it seems.:: Skywarp sighs, watching as Thundercracker kneels above Starscream, while the tricolored seeker leans back on the ground, wings still enticing and flirting.

::Is he really going to-:: Starscream stutters, when the air is forced out of him by the sudden weight of the dominant resting atop his frame, slow grinding movements bringing their pelvic plating against each other.

A low humming growl forces the seekers watching the display to take several steps back, and only when Thundercracker is satisfied with the distance does he release his spike, prefluids smearing the submissive's valve cover.

With a small sigh Starscream relaxes under the heavy weight of his dominant and releases his cover to grant Thundercracker access to what he clearly wants at the moment. When the dominant thrusts into him, he moves his hips to meet the movement, momentarily forgetting that there are optics watching them in their intimacy.

Skywarp remains silent, aware that Starscream at the moment is lost to the moment and not aware of him or any of the others. He knows that the tricolored seeker still has a hard time accepting that seekers are this free, obscene and lewd while on public display. In that he is still very much a grounder, but moments like this are sure to cure him of that bashfulness.

Starscream buckles at a particularly forceful thrust, his optics offlining and his lips parting and whispering gentle nonsense as intense pleasure wreaks havoc in his frame. Despite being controlled by coding, Thundercracker is surprisingly gentle and when he is able to online his optics again, he almost sobs at the gentleness. The thrusts are hard, forceful, but the slide of the spike in his valve is slow and caring.

/Thundercracker,/ he whispers breathless, valve rippling in the rapidly approaching overload. He forces his optics to stay online through it, witnessing Thundercracker throw his helm back and hiss in pleasure as the valve clamps down on the spike before the maddening ripples of the valve brings the dominant over the edge and crashing in overload.

Completely spent, he releases calming breath after calming breath as Thundercracker lowers his frame gently on top of him, resting and recovering. The weight doesn't bother him in the least, and his attention is distracted by a small flutter within his sparkchamber.

The newspark is clearly happy and Starscream smiles and coos in response.

Tentative steps sound, and he cranes his helm to look past Thundercracker's left wing disrupting his sight.

/Thundercracker?/ Skywarp asks in a tiny voice, unsure if it yet is safe for him to come close.

A blow of air against Starscream's plating, and Thundercracker is rolling them, positioning the tricolored submissive on top of him and looking over Starscream's shoulder at Skywarp.

/It is okay, Sky./ Thundercracker soothes, a smile on his lips as he stares at the black and purple submissive and the drooped wings. His processor is clearer and he now understands what they tried to do while he was in recharge. The feeling of the reattached wing is calming him and he is thankful for the work done to his frame.

/Can we… Will you allow Allevaria to finish his work?/ Skywarp asks, fidgeting, embarrassed that he made such a mistake. They should have waited, gained Thundercracker's consent. He hadn't realized how the reattaching would feel and how Thundercracker might react if he woke during the work.

Thundercracker's gaze moves to the seekers waiting at a safe distance, meeting the healer's optics and nods.

Starscream rises from Thundercracker's frame to give the red and blue healer the space to work. The flow of transfluid out of his valve as he stands makes him blush and he is now aware of the several seekers watching them, him, in his embarrassment.

That is when Skywarp steps up close to him, covering him in blessed black wings and the small privacy is easing the worst of his torn feelings. It is funny how little is needed to comfort him lately, but Skywarp's calm and relaxedness is contagious.

A little kiss on his lips distracts him, and it is only when he feels a claw gently poke at his valve that he jolts in Skywarp's embrace with a small whimper.

/What are you doing?/ He whines, starkly aware of the murmurs of voices all around him as he feels Skywarp further play with the entrance to his valve and the fluids still seeping from it.

/Showing you that you don't need to feel this embarrassed about mating publicly,/ Skywarp explains in a lightly aroused tone. Black wings move, no longer shielding them, and Starscream stares around while Skywarp kneels and applies his lips to the entrance of the tricolored seeker's valve.

Starscream's cheeks heat even more, and he almost offlines his optics in embarrassment, but it is then that he realizes what Skywarp is trying to show him.

No one is looking at them.

Several seekers are standing all around them, but they are talking together or looking at the work being done to Thundercracker, their attention not at all on the lewd display of the two submissives engaging in intimacy.

/You see?/ Skywarp inquire, lips moving from the valve for a moment and he looks up with sparkling yellow optics. /They are so used to seeing displays like this that they don't care about what we are doing. It is only you who feels their attention because you among the grounders have been raised to feel embarrassed about public intimacy,/ the black and purple seeker explains with a little smile before he returns to the valve and with gentle strokes of his glossa cleans away any trace of Thundercracker's fluids.

As he looks around Starscream sees that Skywarp is right, and somehow understanding settles and eases the worst of his worry. Then he meets Thundercracker's gaze and the fire in the Winglord's optics tells another story. HE isn't ignoring their display.

This time the blush isn't of embarrassment, but of completely other reasons, his wings fluttering, taunting and tantalizing.

/Want to give him something to truly appreciate?/ Skywarp asks with a grin, seeing Starscream's reaction to their dominant obviously enjoying seeing them together.

Starscream looks down at Skywarp, silently contemplating if he dares, but then gives a small nod, his attention returning to Thundercracker and the hypnotizing attention of their dominant.

With a gentle tug, Skywarp drags Starscream down to the ground with him, kneeling behind the tricolored submissive and spreading the thighs wide. Adjusting Starscream to kneel as well and lean against his frame, Skywarp hoists him onto his frame so they are flush and his spike extends between Starscream's widely spread legs, rubbing at the valve obscenely on display for their dominant.

Then with a smooth gliding move he sheathes himself, his optics fixated on Thundercracker as he claims Starscream, a devilish smile on his lips.

The sight of Thundercracker straightening only to be pushed down by the healer still working on him is a boost of courage to Starscream, and the intensity of the dominant's flashing almost smoldering yellow optics is heating his frame further.

This, he can never get enough of. Being on display like this in front of his dominant truly fries his circuits, setting his internals on a pleasurable fire.

::Skywarp...:: Thundercracker's dangerous purr causes shivers to run down their spinal struts. The anticipated promise of painful pleasure in that tone is heightening their arousal and not soon after they tumble over the edge and into overload together, Thundercracker's satisfaction at the sight bleeding through the bond.

When they collapse in an exhausted pile cycles later, Starscream finally, truly feels at home. For the first time the regret at leaving his creator behind on Earth doesn't fill his processor and Ratchet is long gone in memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani on FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for another update. I have decided to split the chapter i had been working on into segments to make it easier for you all to move around in the time frames.
> 
> Enjoy.

Cybertron, 9 lunar cycles after Thundercracker's return:

_Starscream steps through the door to Ratchet's medbay, optics scanning the dimness of the large room. The room he always has felt safe and secure inside is filling him with dread as wary optics follow the walls, scanning for any life sign._

_The door to the CMO's office opens and out steps…_

_First Aid._

" _I'm sorry, Hound. There is simply nothing I can do," the medic sighs to the other occupant of the office as they leave it, both their statures slumped._

" _There must be something we can do. We can't let him die like that. Optimus needs him, we all do, or we are going to be wiped out," the tracker protests weakly._

" _If just Ratchet…" The younger medic sighs and shakes his helm in defeat. "I'm not as skilled as he was – is." First Aid catches his phrase before Hound even has the chance to protest against the use of past tense. But they all know it is just a matter of time._

" _I wonder how Starscream is doing. Does he even know how we fare here on Earth?" Hound wonders out loud as the two Autobots walk to the only berth currently occupied._

" _His bond with both of you is severed. He doesn't feel anything from you. That much, Ratchet told me." First Aid answers dejectedly._

" _I know." Hound whispers. While Ratchet suffered greatly both physically and mentally, Hound only felt the emotional backslash._

_He deeply regrets having distanced himself from Starscream over the time of the seeker's maturity among them, but when it had happened, nothing could be done to fix it. Ratchet had become the center in the seeker's life and Hound had kept his distance, watched, but not truly participated in the seeker's life._

_They stop at the berth. Starscream walks up behind them to look at the occupant, and then looks away. His optics offlined in grief at the sight of Ratchet – his creator – laid up with countless monitors connected to his frame, spark, and processor, showing the unstable and weak spark rate._

" _I'm so sorry, Starscream. I'm just not good enough," First Aid whispers, as if he can feel Starscream is there with them._

Starscream onlines from the nightmare to the dark night sky high above, calmly glittering with millions upon millions of stars.

It is just like the other nightmares that have haunted him during the last few solar cycles, and they are becoming worse and worse with every time he enters recharge.

Before the nightmares began to haunt him, Ratchet had been completely forgotten in his new life among his people. Now it all resurfaces and disturbs him in his recharge.

He untangles himself from Thundercracker's protective wing and sits up, rubbing his faceplates in frustration. A tiny sound draws his attention, and he looks down, opening his cockpit and withdrawing his little creation.

/Hungry? Or did my nightmare wake you as well?/ he murmurs to the barely one-lunar-cycle-old seekerling, nuzzling the small translucent wings before offering a feeding line.

He looks up at the stars again, while the seekerling latches onto the offered fuel line with a small chirp and begins to drain him. His thoughts wandered back to his creator and the nightmares about what might be happening on Earth.

Is it just dreams, or reality?

Is his creator truly dying, or is it his mind playing games?

He has been wondering why none of their seekers has detected any return of the Autobots to Cybertron.

Why aren't they returning?

But even as he asks himself that question, he is aware that one of the reasons might be that the seekers would fall upon them if they did.

Cybertron is ruled by the seekers now. The grounders are still being hunted as prey, but even if Starscream can't get Thundercracker to stop it, he at least has managed to get Thundercracker to understand that he is never going to feed from a frame showing the Autobot sigil, and that the prey needs to be dead when it is presented to him.

He shudders at the memories of the first Autobot that had been dumped in front of him, struggling and pleading.

At least it hadn't been someone who he recognized and who recognized him, or the whole ordeal would have become that much more worse. But just hearing the pleas and understanding them had been horror enough.

It had been his first kill, and feeling how it tore him apart from the inside, Thundercracker had understood and accepted his demands and not pushed him further.

The tears flowing from his optics as he had looked at his energon splattered frame and the greying Autobot had caused the dominant to hold him tight and rock him soothingly, whispering apologies and promising to never put him through anything like it again. If he didn't want to kill, he didn't need to. Thundercracker would do that for him.

He lets go of the memory with another shudder and turns to look at Thundercracker and Skywarp still soundly in recharge.

He is torn between the need to know and the fear of disobeying his Winglord. But now is the best chance he has, and something tells him that if he doesn't do something soon, it is going to be too late.

The seekerling releases his feeding line and enters a fitful recharge again, curling into a small ball in the center of his palm. Placing it back into the cockpit, he secures it safely before rising and leaving the resting area.

He tells himself that he is just going for a walk to get his thoughts straight, but soon he is at the edge of the resting area and looking towards the direction of the ruins of Kaon and the spacebridge.

Do or don't?

His mind is in uproar and he glances nervously back towards where Thundercracker is.

The Winglord is going to be so enraged when he realizes what he is doing.

Hopefully it will then be too late for the dominant to do anything.

"Ratchet. I'm coming," he whispers into the silence of the night, taking a few more steps. He is out of sight of the members of the clan before he ignites his thrusters, transforms and blasts towards the ruins of the grounder city.

As he travels outside the forest and over hulking ruin after ruin of the once great grounder city-states, he detects the movements of the surviving grounders milling, rising during the only time on the planet where they can be somewhat safe.

His presence clearly startles them and causes them to scatter for shelter, but he carries on. He isn't a killer. He isn't there to feed.

He doesn't see them scurry from their meager protection as he passes, curious optics following the unusual sight of a lone seeker as if they can feel the change to come and ruthlessly reform their existence reverberating in the air.

Soon Kaon is ahead, the countless toppled towers strewn all over the place telling the tale of all the horrors the citizens has experienced during the seekers reign. But even here Starscream senses them, the weak spark signatures.

He lands in front of the entrance to the spacebridge and gently pries the door open.

A small gasp sounds from within and he freezes. The spark signature within the building enters his awareness and he hesitates for a few astroseconds before taking the first step inside. Of the two of them, it is him who is the largest danger. He has nothing to fear from whoever it is that is inside.

Hurried scurrying sounds, and as he walks further into the room, whimpers follow the movements.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He speaks carefully, and the sound and movement stops for a moment before something moves to his right and he turns, coming face to face with the other.

"Oh Primus. No, no, no!" the scientist screams, momentarily deceived by the words in his own language to reveal himself, only to see the deadly sight of a seeker standing there, closing off the only escape from the room.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Starscream repeats firmly, seeing the scientist jolt at the words once again, the red optics widening.

"J-just do it! Don't play with me! Kill me. Do it!" Starscream stares, shocked, as the words slowly sink in. Once again the memory of the Autobot surfaces.

"I'm not going to," he answers adamantly, taking a step further into the room and away from the scientist, his optics glancing to the deactivated spacebridge. "Do you know how that one works?" he asks, hoping to calm some of the fear in the other.

The question seems to take the grounder by surprise, and after almost a breem of silence, Starscream turns to regard the scientist.

"Do you?" he asks, unable to hold back the small growl in his vocalizer.

The small threat is enough to make the scientist cower, but he nods in affirmation.

"I need you to activate it. When you have done so, I suggest you stay far away from this area for a while. Tell those you reside with to move out of Kaon. My presence here is not healthy for any of you," Starscream explains, aware that Thundercracker, if necessary, is going to rip the whole area apart to get to him.

With frenzied nodding the grounder moves to comply. The energy from the grid surges through the room, activating the light, and brings the machinery to life in a flash of light. The spacebridge whirrs to life moments later and the purple vortex swirls calmly.

With a deep sigh, Starscream looks at the beautifully entwining colors before preparing to step into it.

::STARSCREAM!:: Thundercracker's furious roar through the bond startles him, and with a spark pulsing in fear at the sheer intensity of the anger, he hesitates. Base coding warns him against defying his dominant, and more importantly, his Winglord.

The punishment is going to be severe and painful. More than the one he experienced when he stepped in-between Thundercracker and Ratchet. Back then he didn't understand what he did, now he does and Thundercracker isn't going to show any mercy.

::Starscream, where are you?:: Skywarp's unsure and fearful voice almost breaks him, but ignoring the continued pleas, aware that both his mates can sense his feelings and intentions he steels himself and steps through the purple light.

Thundercracker's spark-chilling enraged roar follows him into the nothingness of space.

The bond thins to almost nothing as distance stretches it wide and far. He can no longer sense any of them, and he feels how the emptiness hurts in his spark.

Then his optics looks up into a bright sky and a young yellow sun.

He is back on Earth.

* * *

From the ethereal plane two celestial beings are watching the lone submissive with rapt attention. This is what The Sky Above has waited for to happen, and Solaris shares in his intense pleasure at seeing Starscream follow the path destined for him.

Soon everything will be uncovered and no more wars will wage among his creations.

The time nears for the forgotten ancient knowledge to be unlocked.

Their attention turns towards Cybertron and Thundercracker. The Sky Above has no doubt that the Winglord is going to pursue Starscream, and this is all part of his great plan.

Just like the nightmares he has sent Starscream during the last few solar cycles to get the seeker to leave Cybertron for Earth to uncover the forgotten truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be aware that past tense in this chapter only refers to the first instalment. Everything else happens in the present.
> 
> To those of you who have noticed the change in warnings applying to this story, the Rape/No-con warning is going to refer to the next chapter which is almost done. The Death warning comes later and i hope you all agree with me that that bot really needs to die to give it all a happier ending.
> 
> Now, read and enjoy.:)

Earth, 3 solar cycles prior to Starscream's arrival:

The silence of the Ark is broken when klaxons reverberate through the buried spaceship, rousing the Autobots to yet another skirmish with Soundwave and the Decepticons the telepath has brought with him back to Earth.

Megatron is dead, but the war is far from over.

A new war has begun between the two grounder factions, a war for their only possible survival. Earth.

Cybertron is now a hostile world with a great enemy waiting for them to make the smallest mistake and reveal themselves. Earth is the only safe haven left for them, and Soundwave has had no trouble convincing some of the Decepticons from Cybertron to join him in wiping out the Autobots for good and securing Earth for themselves.

With Megatron gone, Optimus meets much less resistance from the Decepticons. Only the sheer numbers Soundwave leads have kept the odds even throughout the fight.

The Decepticons' objective for this attack is, however, going to unbalance the odds to their favor and destabilize the Autobots.

Soundwave is a skilled strategist, and knows that as long as the Autobots are able to recover after the heavy fighting, the time for their victory is going to be pushed further and further into the future, wasting time he doesn't have if he is going to save his people from the seekers. Once again, it is one of Shockwave's old inventions that are going to cause havoc. The telepath locates his target among his adversaries, completely ignoring the Prime.

He takes aim at the unsuspecting 'bot and fires the weapon.

Ratchet has no chance to react and can only jerk when the projectile impacts with his plating, injecting its content into an energon line.

He stares with wide optics and begins to stagger as his vision blurs and motor control slowly slips. Then he tumbles to the ground, fading into stasis as the deadly disease infects every part of his frame, heading for his spark.

Around the downed medic, any fighting stops, the Autobots staring in horror, the Decepticons waiting for Soundwave's orders now that the objective of the attack has been met.

As their enemy retreats, all the Autobots can do is gather around their fallen CMO.

"No, not Ratchet. Why?" First Aid puts word to all their thoughts as he kneels defeated beside his mentor and closest friend.

Tears spill from his optics and the world around him is gone for a moment as he begins the medical scan. He sifts through system after system, only to realize that this is something he isn't skilled enough to deal with.

Only Ratchet…

"They crippled us at our weakness," he voices out in horror as the realization hits, looking helplessly up at Optimus. "I can't cure this. I don't have enough knowledge to deal with a disease as invasive as this one is." He sobs in despair, servos holding cramp-like onto the unresponsive red and white frame.

"Autobots, back to base," Optimus sighs, blue optics staring sorrowfully at the deadly-still frame of one of his oldest friends. Following his own orders, he transforms and begins the long road back to base with Ratchet secured in his trailer.

Soundwave's objective – to take away the Autobots' way of recovery – might have succeeded, but at the same time he has put them all in great danger as Starscream stares at his surroundings and begins to triangulate the location of the Autobot base.

The activation of the spacebridge doesn't go unnoticed by the Autobots when Teletraan 1 alerts them to the energy spike, and a flurry of communication flows through the Autobot base. So far, they are unaware of the brewing trouble on Cybertron, and the consequences of Starscream's actions as the tricolored seeker locates the volcano and begins his flight towards the base.

Their worst case scenario is Soundwave bringing more troops to Earth, not a visit that in the end leads to an unpleasant visit by the Winglord, the very enemy none of them wants to meet.

Thundercracker might have been lenient towards the Autobots during the seekers' previous stay on Earth, but that temporary truce, if the seekers even work with such a one, broke at their departure from Earth. Any contingency plan they might have is going to be useless when another energy spike flares a few cycles after the first, heralding Thundercracker's arrival on Earth.

But before that happens, their proximity sensors alert them to an incoming spark signature, and though they gain a visual, none of them are able to comprehend what they are looking at.

Starscream transforms, uncaring, and lands on top of the volcano and looks around before he jumps off of the precipice and descends down into the crack at the base of the mountain to gracefully land in front of the Ark's heavy blast doors.

With great care he pushes in the code to the door, and a klik later the doors begin to slide aside, granting him access to the base and the still stunned Autobots gathered in the command center.

They all listen in disbelief as the sound of the tricolored seeker's thrusters moves closer and closer and when Starscream peeks in through the door, not a few of them feel like crashing.

Almost a year has passed since they last saw him, and now he is there right in front of them. None of them had thought they ever would see him again, at least not on Earth.

"Starscream." Hound is the first to regain the ability to talk, and he stares with wide optics at his adopted creation. Granted, Starscream doesn't see him as a creator any more, that's how the war has torn their little family apart since it escalated on Cybertron, but Hound still feels a connection to the seeker even if Starscream doesn't feel likewise.

"Where is Ratchet?" The wings flicker nervously as yellow optics unsuccessfully scans the room for his creator.

Deafening silence settles over the gathered mechs and no one dares breathe a word.

Finally it is First Aid who steps forward, optics full of pain and sorrow.

"Dying," the younger medic answers, swallowing hard as he expects anger in retaliation from the seeker.

"I was right. They were true," Starscream breathes, and the relief in his voice startles them all.

* * *

On Cybertron, Swiftstrike is roughly roused from recharge by the Winglord. Thundercracker doesn't say a word, just places his right servo on the clan leader's chestplates. The elder seeker jolts when the glyph is transferred to him.

/Thundercracker… What is going on?/ he asks, stunned, trembling slightly at the sight of the enraged Winglord. If Thundercracker hadn't just given him command over their people, he would have thought the blue seeker about to kill him.

/Starscream,/ Thundercracker just growls. Then he turns his back to the clan leader and stalks off, but a few steps away he turns to regard his creator. /If I'm not back within a solar cycle, send someone to find me. Crossfire knows where I am going, have him lead the group you send./

Swiftstrike just nods and warily watches as Skywarp, unusually subdued, sidles up to Thundercracker and the pair walks to the edge of the resting area and takes to the sky.

The scientist heeded Starscream's warning, and when Thundercracker and Skywarp land at the spacebridge, no sign of any of the grounders living in Kaon's underground is detectable.

With a rough shove, Thundercracker pushes Skywarp in front of him through the doorway and into the room. Crouching, he stares with smoldering optics at the still fluctuating portal.

/Starscream,/ he growls, the sound promising intense agony for the unfortunate seeker when he gets his claws in him.

/Please don't, Thundercracker./ Skywarp whimpers, groveling at the intense feelings flowing through the bond.

/Not a word, Skywarp,/ the dominant hisses dangerously, optics flashing at the subdued submissive cowering and groveling on the floor in front of him.

/I'm sure he has a very good rea-/ Skywarp's words are cut off abruptly when Thundercracker seizes him around the neck and lifts him from the floor.

/Not. A. Word./ The words are punctuated with rough shakes and Skywarp nods weakly and breathes heavily when Thundercracker releases him.

With a harsh grip on a black wing, Thundercracker forces the submissive through the portal together with him and into the nothingness of space. They rematerialize on Earth mere astroseconds later.

* * *

Starscream instantly feels it when the bond reforms into its usual strong connection to his mates, and the silent bellow of fury ringing through it when Thundercracker senses him jolts him from his place beside Ratchet's berth.

Murderous rage.

There is nothing else describing the emotions flowing from Thundercracker, and to Starscream's worry, he can't sense anything from Skywarp.

First Aid, seeing his stiffening jolt, inquires something to him, but Starscream is too caught up in the bond to hear the words.

His feelings are in turmoil.

Had he really thought that Thundercracker wouldn't follow him?

When he looks down at Ratchet again, he can't suppress a tremble at the prospect of seeing his creator only to have Thundercracker ruthlessly take everyone residing on Earth away from him in a murderous rage.

Momentarily offlining his optics, he tries to calm his panicking spark, but it only succeeds slightly with the continued violent emotions filling it from Thundercracker.

With a deep sigh, he realizes that there is no other way for him to solve this, other than confront Thundercracker.

Casting a last glance down at the supine Ratchet, he walks out of the medbay, turning in the door to regard First Aid.

"Seal the blast doors and pile up anything you can find against them. I…don't know if I'm going to come back," he adds, hoping that he can intercept Thundercracker before the Winglord arrives at the volcano. Then he turns to walk out the door.

"Starscream." First Aid halts him, and the tricolored seeker turns to him again, "What is going on?" the younger medic asks.

"Thundercracker. Thundercracker is on Earth. I am so sorry," Starscream answers, and with that, he leaves the medbay, leaving a stunned First Aid alone to comprehend the severity of the statement.

As Starscream takes to the sky he hears the activation of the klaxons within the spaceship, and a sad smile forms on his lips before he transforms and flies towards the location of the spacebridge. At least they are going to be safe; his safety is another matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware: Rape/Non-Con aspects in this chapter.

When Starscream closes in on the location of the spacebridge, Thundercracker shoots up from a small clearing a small distance away and blasts towards him. The tricolored seeker is well aware of their usual little game of 'cat and mouse', but now is not the time to enrage his dominant further.

Instead he submissively allows Thundercracker to herd him to the ground and transforms, unsure of what to expect.

What he doesn't expect is to see Skywarp in the center of the small clearing, all perfect submission; kneeling on the ground, servos in his lap, wings flush against his frame, helm and optics down cast. The black and purple seeker doesn't even twitch when Starscream lands, doesn't acknowledge his presence at all.

This is a side of Skywarp he hasn't seen before, and the sight causes his spark to quiver in fear as Thundercracker lands behind the other submissive, all the opposite of their black and purple mate.

/Starscream,/ Thundercracker snarls, his wings flared high and wide, fangs bared, lips quivering in open hostility, yet the feelings in the bond are restrained.

It doesn't soothe Starscream the least; it only shows how thoroughly he has enraged Thundercracker if the dominant is keeping his emotions in check like this. As if the smallest trigger is going to unleash his wrath upon his unfortunate target.

Looking from Thundercracker to Skywarp, Starscream is aware that Skywarp is a wordless cue for him if he wishes to get out of this somewhat unscarred. His thoughts are on his little one in the cockpit as he slowly kneels and mirrors Skywarp.

Thundercracker isn't going to kill him, or hurt him so much that he can't take care of his seekerling. That much he knows, and it eases some of his worry, yet Thundercracker has plenty of ways to make the punishment agonizingly painful.

Silence stretches on in the clearing, and he can feel Thundercracker's optics focus intensely on him. The position on the ground is growing more and more unpleasant, but he forces himself to remain still. This is a part of his punishment, and the small discomfort he currently feels is nothing compared to what he knows is coming.

Finally he hears Thundercracker move and he dares raise his optics slightly, keeping his helm down.

He instantly looks away when he realizes that the dominant's smoldering yellow optics are trained on him as Thundercracker demonstratively hoists Skywarp's aft into the air, exposing the black and purple submissive's valve, while Skywarp reflexively moves his servos from his lap to brace on the ground and rests his helm on them.

Then with a snarl Thundercracker harshly thrusts and penetrates Skywarp to the hilt.

A small yelp escapes the black and purple submissive at the slightly painful penetration, and is instantly punished by claws raking down the black wings.

How Skywarp manages to stay silent afterwards and just take the punishing pace of the interface is completely incomprehensible to Starscream.

It doesn't take long for Skywarp to overload from the brutal interface, and while he screams and thrashes beneath Thundercracker, the dominant withdraws from the valve, the spike still erect and rigid, dripping with lubricants as well as streaks of Skywarp's energon.

When Thundercracker moves away from the trembling Skywarp, Starscream follows his every move from where he is kneeling, aware that his time is up and that his punishment is coming.

Skywarp had been a clear demonstration of what is expected of a true submissive, and it stings when he realizes the meaning behind the show.

'Obey me and I will protect you from harm, disobey and feel my wrath.'

Even if the interface had been rough, Skywarp hadn't been in any true pain. He had clearly been prepared for the interface if the lubricants on Thundercracker's spike are anything to gauge from.

As he walks, Thundercracker languidly strokes his spike, something that puzzles Starscream. It is something he hasn't seen the dominant do before. Then he realizes a moment later what it is that Thundercracker is doing, and dread settles in his tank, making it twist and turn in terror.

Swiping the last traces of Skywarp's lubricants off of his spike, Thundercracker stares down at Starscream with cold optics, and the tricolored seeker can feel the dominant's satisfaction at the terror flowing in the bond.

Then Thundercracker kneels down behind Starscream, hoists the submissive's aft in the air just as he did with Skywarp, and silently waits for Starscream to retract his valve cover before penetrating the dry and unaroused valve in one fluid move.

Starscream is unable to hold back the glass shattering scream escaping his vocalizer, and the scream instantly results in punishment in the form of claws raking his wings. He is unable to keep silent, and soon the surface of his wings shows deeper and deeper gouges as the surface caves in under the continued onslaught from Thundercracker's merciless claws.

Pain in his valve, pain in his wings, but the emotional pain is the worst. The fact that he has earned this, that he can stop the further punishment if he can just shut his vocalizer, but the dry penetration makes that impossible.

One thrust is so vicious that he can feel the valve lining tear and the sudden flow of energon. It eases the slide of the spike, but burns like acid in the wounds.

When Thundercracker overloads, Starscream's optics fritz to white for several long astroseconds at the feeling of the scalding hot transfluids connecting with his raw and torn valve, but then it is over. The spike retracts, leaving the submissive alone with a painful charge and hurting sensor nodes.

/Starscream?/ He vaguely hears Skywarp's voice, not sure if his audios are malfunctioning or if it truly is Skywarp speaking to him in a careful soothing voice.

Is he even allowed such comfort right now?

The servos gently touching him, as if afraid to cause him further pain, are definitely real. With a tremble taking over his whole frame, he collapses to his side, unable to uncurl from the painful kneeling position. He just stays there, helm on servos, wings shivering and dripping with energon, legs unwilling to obey him through agonizing pain when he tries to stretch them.

/Sk-sky?/ he stutters, his vocalizer failing in pronouncing Skywarp's full designation as painful convulsions wreak havoc in his frame.

/Don't speak, Starscream. Rest, let your self-repair handle the damages. It is over. You did well. Just rest./ Skywarp soothes, servos touching gently to the shivering wings and Starscream can feel him apply something soothing to them.

It is so good to have the Skywarp he knows back, but he can't stop worrying that it isn't over.

/Thun-der…/ he tries to speak. His optics are offline and he can't seem to bring them online through all the pain in his frame. Yet, he needs to know where Thundercracker is now. If he is coming back to deal out more. He begins to tremble at the prospect.

/Up there keeping watch over us,/ Skywarp softly explains, indicating that 'up there' means high in the air circling the clearing to keep anyone who might want to interfere away, while Skywarp tends to Starscream.

/S-sorry. S-so s-sorry. D-didn't me-mean t-to d-disob-bey./ Starscream stammers in apology.

/You knew what he would do. And your disappearance is all made worse due to the fact that he had to leave our people to get you back, Starscream. He had to leave our people again so shortly after he has finally regained the full trust and control. That is mainly why he is so angry. But you scared him as well, scared the both of us, and being scared is a weakness that he covers with anger and fury. He isn't as mad at you as it seems, just unable to deal with his fear of losing you./ Skywarp explains, his voice hardening slightly as he keeps working on sealing the damages on Starscream's wings.

/Didn't mean to… Didn't think…about that./ Starscream solemnly confesses, realizing that what he has done possibly could tear their people apart once again, and this time Thundercracker might not be able to regain their trust.

This time he might die under the challenges being issued to him.

_/I need your obedience, Starscream,/ Thundercracker murmurs. /I am your protector, the one to shield you in disputes, to fight for you. But I demand obedience in turn for my support. As long as you obey, no one is going to hurt you while my spark still pulses, but if you disobey I have to punish you accordingly, or I will be seen as weak and challenged by other dominants. We aren't grounders, Starscream. We are seekers, and I understand that our society is different from how you have been raised. But I need you to support me among our kin for me to remain strong in power. Do you understand?/_

Thundercracker's explanation from when he first disobeyed resurfaces, and he feels incredibly guilty for having gone against his dominant and Winglord. Thundercracker was and is still right. Skywarp is right.

He has weakened his dominant, his Winglord.

::I'm sorry.:: he pushes through the bond to Thundercracker, filling the words with all his guilty emotions. He doesn't ask for forgiveness, he doesn't feel like he deserves it. All he hopes to achieve is to get Thundercracker to understand what made him disobey and not seek consent before leaving.

::As long as you NEVER do something like this again, we won't speak about it. No one on Cybertron, except Swiftstrike, knows, and I have given him control until I return. Now will you please tell me WHY you needed to leave in the first place?!:: Thundercracker responds, still strict, but there are none of the previously violent emotions.

Finally most of the acute pain in his frame is soothed and he is able to online his optics.

Craning his neck, he stares up into the sky and watches Thundercracker patrol the clearing in calm circles with a sigh. There is nothing more beautiful than the deadly sight of his dominant in his sparked element.

Earth's sky just compliments the blue seeker even more, and as he stares, clouds drift by, now and then covering Thundercracker in their misty substance before the Winglord emerges once again from their loving embrace.

::I have had nightmares.:: He confesses with a sigh, recalling the last one that drew him into action. ::Turns out they weren't just nightmares.:: he adds with sadness, the image of Ratchet in the medbay standing stark in his processor.

/I need access to your valve,/ Skywarp urgently breaks into their conversation and Thundercracker remains silent.

One glance down his frame has Starscream almost purging. There is so much energon splashed all over his frame and pooling beneath him. At the sight, he runs an internal scan of his energy levels and balks at the sight of the blaring red 50%. He needs to feed soon, preferably before he needs to feed his seekerling.

Faceplates contorted in pain, he tries to straighten his cramped legs to let Skywarp have access to him, but the sheer pain at the movement almost seizes him.

/I can't, Sky. You need to do it for me. Just do it, fast,/ he pants, optics almost whiting out at the intensity. It doesn't help that his movements causes the lingering transfluids to seep into the wounds in his valve and adds to the pain.

A jerk followed by another and he is screaming his vocalizer raw as his frame goes rigid in pain. When his whitening optics are finally able to see again, he looks up into caring yellow optics as Thundercracker hugs him in comfort while he feels Skywarp begin to work at his valve.

He doesn't know when Thundercracker landed, and he honestly doesn't care.

/I don't like to cause you pain, I hope you understand that, Starscream,/ Thundercracker murmurs soothingly.

Starscream nods weakly before he snuggles his faceplates into Thundercracker's warm plating, seeking comfort in the presence of the dominant. Thundercracker is a fearsome sight when enraged, but oh so loving and caring when he has calmed.

Still, this experience is going to follow Starscream the rest of his life, which of course is the whole intention behind the punishment, to prevent the submissive from disobeying on a whim.

He feels Thundercracker's claws on his cockpit a moment later and turns his helm to look up at the dominant again. When he nods in permission he feels Thundercracker gently open it to withdraw the seekerling. The little thing eagerly pounces on the reaching claws and chirps happily at its Sire, not at all affected by the horrors its carrier has been put through.

It begins to eagerly nibble at one of the menacing claws and when Starscream moves to sit up so he can offer a feeding line, Thundercracker gently forces him down.

/I will feed it this time. You need to recover your strength,/ the dominant explains softly while tugging Starscream closer into a more relaxed position in his lap. Like this, Starscream is able to watch his little one feed and relax his sore and hurting frame.

After a while, with Skywarp humming contently as he applies nanites to the inner walls of his valve, Starscream needs to ask the question that pesters him.

/What do we do now?/ he asks. His voice shows none of his crushed hope at the fact that he probably won't be returning to the Autobots and Ratchet's side. He has no doubt that Thundercracker is going to order them back to Cybertron.

Thundercracker is silent for a while, his optics distant. He hums in concert with Skywarp, the drain on his systems lulling him into a docile state.

Earth is peace where Cybertron has been a constant fight to regain trust.

This is the first real moment where he is able to truly connect with his newest creation, and even if it all springs from Starscream disobeying, the calm and peace surrounding him for once is…nice.

No one is challenging him. No one is demanding his presence. There is just the three – four – of them. He smiles down at the seekerling, spark swelling at the trust so willingly offered to him, and pours his deep affections into the bond with the little thing.

/Thundercracker?/ Starscream's voice draws him out of the happy moment and with a sigh he leans back, laying on the ground and dragging Starscream with him, much to Skywarp's protests.

/I want to see what drew you to do all this. It must have been some horrible nightmares to cause you to disobey me like this. I want to know the reason,/ he answers, staring up at the blue sky and the drifting clouds. He, after all, has a whole solar cycle before Crossfire is going to show up, and Swiftstrike is capable enough to lead their people for this short a time.

Stretching his wings languidly along the ground, he releases a content purr and rises slightly to drag a wildly protesting Skywarp down to lay beside them.

Like that, the largest predators Earth have ever given peaceful shelter to enter a fitful recharge, the troubles of the world at the moment none of their concern, a small seekerling resting contently in the palm of its fearsome Sire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

"Have we heard or seen anything from Starscream?" Optimus asks the crew as they gather in the command center. It has been cycles since Starscream left, and they have been unable to detect anything from either him or Thundercracker.

The fact that Thundercracker is on the planet while they are unable to locate the Winglord is troubling, but what truly worries them is the fact that they don't know how many seekers they are dealing with.

Is Earth being invaded, or is it just a small visit?

How is it going to affect the humans?

They have already contacted all the countries to warn them about the presence of the seekers, and at the moment all global-wide flight traffic has been suspended. They don't want to risk anyone in case the seekers mean deadly business.

The UN is gathered through video conference, the restriction all over the planet preventing them from meeting physically, and the infighting between the United States of America and Russia is at the moment forgotten as the political leaders wait in unity for news from the Autobots.

"Nothing," Hound sighs, his own worry easily rivaling that of the others. Ratchet is still his main concern, but the prospect of reuniting with Starscream, if just briefly, and apologizing, has raised some hope in his spark that he will finally be able to regain his position in the seeker's life.

"We haven't been able to triangulate the direction he flew when he left, or locate Thundercracker," he adds further, shaking his helm. "The humans have offered help in the form of their planet-wide grid of satellites, but the surveillance hasn't showed anything yet."

"Teletraan 1 hasn't detected anything either, and the spacebridge has remained silent. He is still here on Earth, doing whatever he came here for. We are monitoring it to see if he should show up, but unless he wants to be found, I don't think we will find him," Perceptor chimes in, looking up from where he is monitoring Teletraan 1.

"That raises another question." Prowl speaks up, looking around at the gathered mechs with a stern expression. "While the energy spike lasted for such a short time that I don't believe that we are dealing with that many seekers, the spacebridge is still passively active. More could come. Shall we shut it down, or let it remain active with the prospect of a true invasion of seekers happening?" the tactician asks.

"You mean to definitively trap an enemy as dangerous as Thundercracker far away from his people? Are you insane?! He is going to tear us all apart in a murderous rampage!" Sideswipe yells in panic. Beside him, Sunstreaker just glares at the tactician.

The massacre less than a year ago still stands starkly in their awareness, and they all shudder collectively at the memory of the Decepticons being killed so ruthlessly.

"You are right, Sideswipe; we shouldn't do that, even if its continued activation threatens the humans and Earth. Thundercracker alone is enough to lay waste to a large part of the planet if he feels like it. We don't know if he is alone, but we can at least be sure that Skywarp is with him. He doesn't willingly part with his mates for long, which, I guess, is why Starscream apologized to me before he left," First Aid speaks up.

"So we are at best 'only' dealing with Thundercracker's trine, at worst a whole armada," Ironhide grouses, not liking either prospect.

First Aid is right, Thundercracker alone is fearsome to deal with if it comes to battle, and impossible to down. Add in Skywarp and they won't even be able to hit the Winglord with any of their heavier artillery. The prospect of meeting Starscream in battle… He doesn't even want to go there.

It will crush all their sparks to engage the tricolored seeker in battle.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"A report from the humans' NORAD, Prime," Perceptor speaks up as he moves the incoming information onto the large view screen.

On screen they watch as the three seekers fly in their traditional trine formation. The observational information from the humans shows their flight path across the state, heading towards Mount St. Helens.

"ETA?" Optimus asks.

"4.7 breems. Ten minutes," Perceptor answers, looking up from the console.

"So, what do we do?" Sideswipe nervously asks. Only ten more minutes to live?

"I…don't know." Optimus looks around at his crew, for once not having a solution. As long as they don't know why Thundercracker is coming, they can't do anything. And if it turns out to be a fight, there is little any of them can do to prepare for it.

"I say we go out there to face them helm on," Ironhide growls, his cannons whirring ominously. Even if they don't stand a chance, he very much prefers to die in a blazing fight than while hiding underground, just waiting for it to happen.

"I…actually agree with Ironhide." First Aid hesitantly supports the suggestion, and seeing their incredulous stares on him, he hurries to explain, "They don't like being underground. Thundercracker can barely move through the corridors of our base. It is going to push them further if they need to seek us out down here. If we meet them out in the open…they might be a lot calmer, and it might not even turn to fighting."

As First Aid is the only one among the Autobots, beside Ratchet, who has dealt peacefully with the seekers, they can't disregard the younger medic's calm analysis of the situation.

"ETA 3 breems, Prime," Perceptor speaks up, informing them of the remaining time before Thundercracker arrives, and that seems to set the rest of them in motion.

"Very well. Everyone, move out," the Autobot leader orders, watching his troops move out of the room and to the surface.

"Prime?" Optimus turns at the sound of his honorific title, looking at First Aid. "I just wanted to remind you that Thundercracker no longer is controlled by Megatron. He is free of what drew him to fight against us. He might still be fearsome and ruthless, but the seekers are basically just primitive, but highly sentient beings. He isn't truly our enemy anymore. Don't worry."

With that First Aid leaves the command center to go back to the medbay and Ratchet. Someone needs to stay behind to watch over the base. Perceptor is going to stay behind as well to keep monitoring Teletraan 1 and the communication with the humans.

"ETA 2 breems," Perceptor's voice sounds through the spaceship as an ominous warning.

Optimus emerges from the crack just as Thundercracker enters their vision far away in the distance. They can already hear the distinct rumbling of the Winglord's powerful engines as the three seekers fly closer and closer. The troops' nervousness at the sight is palpable in the air.

When they watch as Thundercracker leads his trine on a deviating course to circle the volcano, Optimus' comlink activates.

"Prime, we have Decepticon activity," Perceptor speaks up.

"Where?" he asks, his full attention still on the three seekers and their leisurely flight behavior. The relaxedness the seekers exude is a good sign and he dares hope that this isn't going to turn violent.

"Some nuclear facility in Oregon," Perceptor answers urgently.

"Well, Thundercracker is here, we can cancel the flight restrictions. Have the humans provide us with transport. I'm heading down when I have talked to Starscream and Thundercracker," he answers, closing his comlink.

When Thundercracker lands, Skywarp and Starscream flanking him, Optimus steps forward and regards the Winglord in what he hopes is a relaxed stance.

"Thundercracker," he greets. His greeting is followed by a distinct melodious chirrup from Starscream, clearly translating and making up for the Autobot leader's blunder in greeting Thundercracker by his designation.

/Winglord,/ Starscream translates Optimus' words.

A grunted gust of air is the only response as Thundercracker looks at Optimus, gauging him, before the scrutinizing yellow optics move to look at the troops behind the Autobot leader.

Even if it has been less than a year; the sheer size of the blue seeker still rattles them. Out of optic, out of mind, clearly applies to the imposing sight of the Winglord looking down at them with disdain in the eerily intelligent optics.

There is a hunger in them as well, and not a few of them shy away at the intensity of the threat they can feel hanging ominously over their helms. They are no more than prey in the Winglord's optics.

The silence is broken by a litany of lyrical intonations from Thundercracker, and Starscream shuffles uncomfortable beside the Winglord. He bows his helm and his wings droop slightly in clear submission. Then he takes a step forward and takes a deep breath.

"Thundercracker has given me permission to reside here until Ratchet's situation has been sorted. If you provide us with fuel, no one is going to be hurt while we stay here. Beyond that, I can't guarantee anything," Starscream explains, clearly subdued from whatever Thundercracker had said.

"It is good to see that you are well and okay," Optimus greets, delicately ignoring the small threat in Starscream's vocalization. He knows that the 'hurt' reference truly means killed. Seekers don't do anything else with what they consider prey, unless they really feel like playing around with their food.

With a small smile, Starscream folds his wings flush against his frame before he bows his helm and, with one servo placed on his chestplate, gestures for Optimus to mirror him. As Optimus complies, he is aware that he makes himself incredibly vulnerable in front of the Winglord when his optics leave the blue seeker to, for just a short moment, look at the ground as he completes the bow.

The next klik, Thundercracker has somersaulted and is transforming in the air. They all watch as Skywarp mirrors him and the pair flies to the top of the mountain where they settle down. Perched on the highest precipice, Thundercracker overlooks them and his youngest mate.

None of the Autobots are aware of the trust the Winglord shows them in that very moment, taking the distantly observing dominant as a threat and not the acceptance it truly is.

"I think he likes you," Starscream adds offhandedly to Optimus as he looks up at the mountain, smiling at the hiss from Thundercracker through the bond.

"If that is liking, then I don't want to see him when he is in a truly foul mood," Sideswipe comments, gazing up at the visual of the Winglord perched like an angel of death as he watches them.

Starscream just laughs at the comment, easily hiding the small wince at the soreness that remains in his frame.

"We are heading out, but I will lead you down to Ratchet," Optimus cuts in, and like that Thundercracker is for a moment forgotten.

"What is going on?" Starscream asks, sensing the change in the mechs around him.

His new awareness and instincts inform him about the minute changes in their frames, the increase of spark pulses, the flow of the energon to the battle centered systems. Weapons might be offline, but the small cycle of energy ready to be unleashed is easily detectable to him.

It reminds him of Thundercracker when the Winglord fights against challengers. Those subtle changes, he now is attuned to sense.

"Don't worry, Starscream. Now, we need to go soon, the humans will have aircrafts waiting for us at the nearest airport. We can't delay. I will explain it all to you later. Let me take you to Ratchet before we leave," Optimus explains urgently, and Starscream willingly lets himself be led away from the gathered troops.

When the procession of Autobots moves out moments later, Sideswipe looks wistfully up at the top of the volcano.

"It is so unfair," he solemnly comments to Sunstreaker beside him.

"What?!" Sunstreaker growls, following Sideswipe's line of sight and seeing Thundercracker still perched at the top of the volcano.

"The Decepticons have had them on their side. Why can't we have the good grace of the seekers for once?" Sideswipe complains petulantly.

"You are an idiot, Sideswipe," Sunstreaker growls, cuffing his twin up the helm, "He did make short work of Megatron, and you KNOW that they weren't on the Decepticons' side, they were enslaved! Seekers don't have ANY good grace towards any of us."

"Still," Sideswipe sniffs, swiping at his brother in retaliation.

"Just forget it!" Sunstreaker growls, transforming and speeding away from Sideswipe before the red frontliner is able to retort. That leaves behind a pouting Sideswipe, who casts a last wistful glance up at the Winglord before following, dust spewing from his acceleration to intercept his twin.

Thundercracker watches the procession of grounders curiously. His prodding at Starscream to know what is going on is unsuccessful.

Canting his helm and studying the convoy with interest, he makes a decision.

/Keep watch over Starscream,/ he orders Skywarp, before he takes to the sky and follows the grounders at a distance.

/Don't do anything stupid, Thundercracker. Starscream is going to strip your plating if you hurt any of them,/ Skywarp yells at the disappearing dominant, but nevertheless settles down to rearrange the top of the volcano into something resembling a resting area, while keeping watch over Starscream.

The Autobots are blessedly unaware of their stealthy escort as they arrive at the small airport and board the ready Hercules airplanes. When the heavy planes taxi down the tarmac and slowly gain speed, Thundercracker watches on with growing curiosity.

The moment the planes leave the tarmac, his roar of rage is deafened by the thunderous sounds of the heavy-duty engines of the planes.

The moment all the planes are in the air, radar shows the approaching unidentified aircraft approaching at high speed, and the vocalizations from the humans in the control tower as well as the pilots flying the planes alert the Autobots to the unknown presence.

The moment Sideswipe transforms inside the plane to look out the hatch in the tail end of the plane carrying him, he sees the Winglord's blue tetrajet in hot pursuit of them, and he laughs in exhilaration.

"Holy Primus. It's Thundercracker!" he announces excitedly to the rest of his comrades onboard.

"Sideswipe, get back. Get away from there. Don't taunt him!" Optimus orders sternly.

The next moment Sideswipe is firmly silenced when Thundercracker unleashes a volley of laser fire. The deadly beams narrowly miss the plane and Optimus knows that the Winglord isn't truly aiming to down them, or they would have been a burning husk on the surface of the planet by now.

"What the pit?"

Sideswipe's solemn utterance, filled with hurt and broken hope, forces a growl from Sunstreaker where he remains in altmode. "You are an idiot, Sideswipe. I TOLD you, there is no good grace towards us. Now, get the frag back here and transform. If he hits us you need all the protection you can get."

The four other planes get the same greeting, and they can only listen to the humans as the blue seeker circles the formation of transport planes while they travel. So far no damage has been caused, but the humans are clearly panicking as the Winglord plays with them.

There is no other description entering Optimus' processor at Thundercracker's strange way of acting.

"Why isn't he downing us?" Sideswipe asks from where he now is in altmode beside Sunstreaker, finally subdued at the constant fear of an attack that is going to send them hurtling towards the surface of the planet far down below. Granted, he has his jetpack and Sunstreaker has his parachute, but all their other comrades don't have such emergency measures to save them from the devastating fall, should it happen.

"He is dominating us," Optimus answers when he realizes what Thundercracker is doing. There is no true hostile intent, just a show of power while they are in the Winglord's territory high in the air. With that realization in mind, he visibly relaxes.

"Seekers are wicked," Sideswipe utters in response and Sunstreaker swats him with a door.

"You were fawning all over him only moments before, Sides." The yellow frontliner reminds him with an annoyed growl.

"That was before he turned this insane," he retorts, reciprocating the swat with force.

"This is how they ARE, Sides. And if you haven't noticed, Star has changed as well. He is going to become just like Thundercracker with time. He definitely won't be our big innocent friend anymore," Sunstreaker grouses.

"Fragging seekers," Sideswipe mutters, and turns to complete silence the rest of the travel, only cursing now and then when the blue seeker's antics forces the pilots to veer to avoid the continued 'playful' attacks.

Thundercracker finally leaves them alone when the planes enter preparation to land, and the rest of the trip down to the surface of the planet is done under control and without much panic. However, Optimus is sure that the humans are going to be averse to offering them any air transport as long as the Winglord remains on the planet.

He isn't sure he wants a repeat of the experience either.

"What the frag was that about?" Hound demands to know when he emerges from his plane, visibly shaking.

"The Winglord asserting his dominance over us," Optimus waves off the other vocalizations from his troops. They need to focus. There is a fight waiting for them a few dozen miles from their current location.

"Where is he now? Did he just disappear?" They all look up in the air, but there is nothing but the calmly drifting clouds. No sound of the seeker's distinct rumbling engines.

The Winglord is gone, obviously done with pestering them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Death, Gore. Simply put sheer bloody violence.

Hovering high in the air, between the higher mesosphere and the lower thermosphere, Thundercracker relaxes lazily, drifting in the lighter gravity that keeps him stationary the higher he gets in the planet's atmosphere.

/Skywarp would love this,/ he murmurs to himself with a smile, optics dulled almost to nothing in contentment as he allows the lulling feeling of weightlessness and the gentle pull from the planet to ease his anger at the sight of the grounders taking to HIS element, invading HIS territory.

His mindless thoughts are disrupted by an enormous bellowing roar that grows in volume, and he onlines his optics to look around.

A glance down at the planet has him jerking in surprise at the sight of a massive burning cloud drifting up toward him from the surface. It is almost as if it is trying to swallow him, but he is way too far up and the cloud dissipates slowly. However, the sheer power from the nuclear explosion is rattling, if only slightly, even this high up in the atmosphere.

/Sky Above,/ he murmurs, flickering his wings in slight distress at the power of the explosion he can sense through the sensitive appendages. The cloud spreads wider as it travels in height, covering more and more ground.

::What is going on?:: Skywarp asks, sensing the shock through the bond. Thundercracker can sense Starscream gently prodding him as well, but it is clear that it is just out of courtesy to know if he is okay. The tricolored seeker's mind is still completely occupied with worry for his creator.

::I don't know. But I'm going to find out.:: With that, he seals the bond firmly shut, transforms, and shoots down towards the surface at high speed.

When he is only a few miles above the surface, he levels his trajectory and overflies the devastated area and the several hundred grounders in close combat.

The nuclear explosion has hardly done any damage to them, only to the area surrounding the nuclear facility. Shrill klaxons blare warnings about the release of nuclear matter, but the Autobots are too occupied with the Decepticons to try and counter the dangerous spill.

It is a fight for their lives, and in all the chaos no one notices the arrival of the Winglord.

Injured and dying are littering the ground, mostly Decepticons, but a few Autobots have fallen to their enemies' vicious attack as well.

Thundercracker grunts at the smell of the flowing energon in the billowing heat from the explosion, and his optics keenly scan the area and every grounder on it.

Prey.

So much prey.

But before his hunting instinct completely takes over and drowns out any further rational thought, a loud furious roar of rage reverberates and draws his attention towards the center of the battleground.

The roar draws Optimus' attention as well, and the Autobot leader easily incapacitates his current adversary before he looks around to locate the origin.

He soon locates the source, and his spark constricts in pain at the sight of Sunstreaker clutching a heavily damaged Sideswipe to his frame while he tries to defend them both from the Decepticon that has hurt his twin so.

The yellow frontliner is visibly trembling, clearly in pain, but still valiantly fighting on.

The incoming cleaving strike from the large Decepticon, which should have split Sunstreaker's helm in two, doesn't land, and the weight of his adversary is lifted from his and his twin's frames. Through the energon dripping into his optics, he watches the peculiar sight of the Decepticon being torn into pieces, and all the fighting around them ceases as they stare at the newcomer.

Thundercracker just looks disdainfully down at the mangled parts of the grounder. Then he lets out a bellowing roar with the full length of his fangs on display, his lips quivering and even showing the rows of sturdier dentas. The horrendous roar reverberates all over the area and firmly silences the last of the skirmish between the two factions.

The following silence is only disturbed by the continued gurgling sounds from the deep hole in Sideswipe's midsection when the red frontliner tries to breathe in air.

Sunstreaker warily looks up at the large seeker still hovering above him and his twin. He doesn't know what to think.

Is the Winglord there as an angel of death, or a guardian angel?

Thundercracker stares down at the yellow grounder with a condescending look in his optics, and in reflex Sunstreaker hugs Sideswipe a bit closer. He can feel the rare tears threatening to fall from his optics as a surge of fear takes hold in his spark.

Not Sideswipe.

Not his brother.

No.

::Sun-…:: Sideswipe coughs, and energon flows from his lips in increasing streams.

::Don't call me that.:: Old habits die hard, and Sunstreaker knows he never has been the best to soothe.

::H-he came. He is here. Is that really him?:: Sideswipe jerks in pain when he tries to turn his helm and look up at the towering seeker standing over them. Like this, it almost looks like the Winglord is hovering as a guardian angel, protecting them.

But Sunstreaker knows it is an illusion.

It has to be.

::Yeah, Sides, it is him. You were right, he is on our side.:: The words sting as he lulls his brother into false security. He lowers his helm gently to Sideswipe's and pecks a kiss to it before he stares directly up at the Winglord with defiant optics, the watery glare in them a clear challenge.

When Sideswipe loses consciousness, Sunstreaker has no chance to react before Thundercracker has ripped his brother out of his embrace and has taken to the sky, leaving with the claimed prey.

The bellow following the disappearing seeker is full of despair and rage.

The only comfort in all the physical and emotional pain is that he is going to join Sideswipe the instant his twin dies. They won't be separated for long. With that thought in mind, Sunstreaker curls into a ball and just waits for death's embrace.

"Oh, Sunstreaker." Optimus kneels beside the yellow frontliner and gently caresses an arm. "Maybe it is for the best. I don't think we could have saved him. First Aid is good, but a damage as severe as Sideswipe's would have killed him long before we were able to reach the base," the Autobot leader tries to soothe.

"You mean this is mercy from Thundercracker?" Sunstreaker sobs, turning his helm to regard his leader.

"I don't know. All we know about him is what Starscream has told us, and what little we all have gleaned from our short interactions," Optimus replies, the pain in his optics growing at the sight of his fearless frontliner coming undone like this. At the prospect of losing the twins like this.

They have lost several comrades to untreatable injuries over the last solarcycles, ever since Ratchet was incapacitated. First Aid does his best, but the younger medic doesn't have as much knowledge as the CMO, yet he keeps fighting to save them all when they are under his care. But, some injuries are simply just too great.

Breems pass and they all wait for the inevitable.

Then Optimus is hailed by the Ark.

"Prime, what the frag are you doing out there? Starscream is in an all-out panic inside the medbay yelling about preparations and Skywarp has just teleported in. What the frag is going on?!" First Aid demands to know, yelling above the clear noise in his background.

Optimus looks up, optics widening as he looks around at his gathered troops. The Decepticons are long gone; scared away by the presence of the Winglord, the enemy they thought they had managed to flee when coming to Earth.

When he looks down at Sunstreaker again, his spark feels light, hopeful even, and he smiles soothingly.

"First Aid just contacted me, Sunstreaker. Starscream is causing a mess back at base because… It seems like Thundercracker is returning to them with Sideswipe. He is going to have a fair chance at survival with how fast Thundercracker is in the air," he explains in a soft voice.

Sideswipe isn't miraculously saved, he is still dying and the damage is grievous. It is yet to be seen if First Aid will be able to do anything for him, but at least the younger medic will get the chance.

"H-he really is saving him?" Sunstreaker's incredulous stutter sums up the unbelievability of what is going on perfectly.

"He is giving him a chance," Optimus corrects, not wanting to give Sunstreaker too much hope in case it is crushed later.

"But why? He eats us. He hates us. Why is he doing this? Why is he saving Sides?" Sunstreaker is unable to keep the questions rising in his mind unvoiced.

"That is something you will have to ask him when we have returned to base," Optimus gently answers, rising and assessing the destruction around them.

"Prime, are you there?" First Aid demands to know, clearly torqued off at the Autobot leader for not responding.

"Yes, First Aid, I'm here. We are just finishing here, and then we will return as fast as possible. Keep me updated on how everything fares back at base." When the younger medic acknowledges, Optimus closes the comlink and turns to his troops.

Soon everyone is busy trying to counter the dangerous radioactive spill. There isn't much they can do about the damage already caused, but they can prevent it from escalating further. At least there are no humans in the nearest area, as most of them evacuated when the Decepticons showed up.

It angers him that Soundwave chooses locations like these for their battles. The telepath clearly doesn't care in the least about the organic inhabitants on the planet, and it speak volumes about what will happen if the Decepticons succeed in wiping out the Autobots.

Humanity faces extinction together with the Autobots. None of them can afford to lose.

Sunstreaker just sits a small distance away as the clean-up begins, desperately clinging to the unresponsive bond with his twin while valiantly trying to put up his usual façade of indifference.

It doesn't quite succeed and lone tears trail down his cheeks.

When they leave the battle field, Sunstreaker is tugged safely inside Optimus' trailer on their way to the airport and the waiting planes. The trip in the air is done in silence, Sideswipe's missing presence hanging heavily on them all.

* * *

Why is he doing this?

Thundercracker looks down at the shivering frame in his arms as he flies faster and faster, breaking his own limits, and securely tightens his hold on the red frame as the wind beats mercilessly against them.

If he had been in alt-mode the wind wouldn't pester him this much, but in root-mode he doesn't have the aerodynamics on his side and it taxes on him, cooling his plating and internals rapidly and the boost to his thrusters only does little to increase his dwindling core temperature.

What must it do to the damaged grounder in his arms?

He shakes his helm in incredulity.

Why does he care about a grounder?

Why IS he doing this?

::Thundercracker, what is going on?:: Skywarp breaks into the bond, and Thundercracker realizes that his grip on the sealed bond must have weakened with his mind distracted.

::Thundercracker?:: Starscream's small voice instantly sets his thoughts straight. With a last glance down at the grounder, now jerking in the first real death cramps, he increases the flow of energon to his thrusters and grits his dentas, baring his fangs at the painful slashing powers of the sky as he adds more speed to his flight.

He sends a mental image of the hurt grounder to both his mates and senses Starscream's panic.

::SIDESWIPE!:: The scream of the designation tells Thundercracker everything he needs to know about the connection his youngest mate has with this grounder, and even if he doesn't care about the grounder himself, he steels himself against the merciless winds and suffers through the onslaughts of pain flowing from his wings.

::Don't worry, Thunder, I'm going down to him. Just…get here safely, please?:: 'Don't risk yourself for a grounder' is underlying Skywarp's wording, and Thundercracker sends a mental nod to Skywarp before he refocuses all his attention on his flight.

He senses it when the grounder wakes for a short moment. Glancing down into the pale blue optics, he wonders at the weak smile forming on the deathly grey lips. He feels the movement of a servo and, shocked, watches the grounder rub against his chestplates and the warmth of his spark and the Winglord essence centered behind them.

"Home," Sideswipe whispers, before he falls unconscious again, the smile of pure serenity lingering on his lips.

Not understanding the word, Thundercracker just shrugs and keeps flying, defying all physics on the planet when he lands in front of Mount. St. Helens only a dozen breems after he took off from the battle field.

Skywarp pops into existence the instant he touches down on the ground, grabbing hold of him, and they are gone with a puff of displaced air, rematerializing underground.

/Thundercracker! Sideswipe!/ Starscream is onto him instantly, almost tackling him to the floor. Before he is aware of it, the grounder is out of his arms and on a metal slab, the grounder healer already plugging things into the red frame.

With shivering wings, he finally collapses, reserves almost completely spent. The intense cooling of his frame severely taxes his energy, and his internals fight for a normal core temperature.

/Skywarp, bring him one of the cubes I have prepared over there. You will have to feed him, just tip it gently, and avoid hitting the fangs. Yes, just like that. Keep going until he doesn't shiver anymore. Here, can you take him, too? I need to help First Aid where I can,/ Starscream blabbers, pointing to the stash of cubes he has prepared. He watches as Skywarp does as he explains, and then hands the seekerling to the black and purple seeker before he returns to First Aid to do whatever he can to support the younger medic.

First Aid shoots them a glance when Starscream opens his cockpit and digs out the wriggling seekerling, but doesn't speak up. His curiosity can wait for later, Sideswipe doesn't have time for him to stand idle.

Skywarp safely tugs the seekerling inside his cockpit before he returns his attention to his dominant. Thundercracker is staring up at him with bright optics and a stiff smile.

/Sky…/ Thundercracker speaks, delirium distorting his vocalization slightly. Then his optics offline and he enters recharge.

The black and purple seeker drapes himself over his recharging mate, covering the Winglord in a blanket of warmth, and cycles an abundance of energy through his whole frame, heating himself up to give comfort to the still slightly shivering blue frame.

/So strong. So perfect. All ours,/ Skywarp whispers affectionately to Thundercracker as he silently keeps watch over the unresponsive dominant's fatigued frame.

::All ours.:: Starscream confirms from where he is assisting First Aid, and when Skywarp lifts his helm to look at him, Starscream's optics are full of deep emotions directed towards their dominant.

All theirs.

* * *

The Sky Above hovers above the recharging Winglord, the black optics regarding the resting dominant. He kneels and touches the cold plating, sending warmth into the core of the blue seeker, speeding up the recovery.

/Well done, Thundercracker. It will be time soon. Just keep walking the path destined for you,/ The god murmurs before he rises again.

Then he looks to Starscream and the work being done on Sideswipe.

He can see the celestial form of the ground vehicle former slowly begin to materialize on the ethereal plane and he steps forward hurriedly.

/Not yet, little one,/ he reassures the being when he takes hold of it and feels how it begins to panic. For a moment the substance almost materializes completely, only to begin to dissipate again.

/There, back into your frame. It isn't your time yet, you are too important to my plan to die now./ The Sky Above smiles when the spark pulse in the red frame begins to grow slightly in strength.

/Now, to make sure you stay there,/ the god ponders with a smile as he studies Starscream and momentarily graces the tricolored seeker's mind.

Implanting the idea in Starscream to use his own superior healing abilities, in the form of the nanites, on the grievous wound, the god settles to watch the proceedings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thundercracker keeps surprising:) Hadn't planned for him to turn heroic, but i guess he wanted to be a savior rather than an executioner. The good thing is that his wish doesn't mess that much with my initial plan. So, we get to have some more twin goodness and the Winglord gets to show some strange mercy towards the twins.(Which actually is orchestrated by The Sky Above if you read between the lines:)) I definitely look forward to Sunstreaker confronting Thundercracker with his questions. But until that happens, i hope you all like how this proceed.
> 
> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some extra information since it seems I have forgotten to post an important height diagram for 'On Seeker Habits' here on AO3.  
> So here it is:
> 
> Thundercracker: 45 meters.
> 
> Common Dominant: 42 meters.
> 
> Skywarp(Being a nothing gives him a different size than the common submissive): 38 meters.
> 
> Common submissive: 35 meters.
> 
> Megatron was 35 meters as well.
> 
> Optimus: 33 meters.
> 
> Common grounder: Average size of 28 meters, some larger, some smaller.
> 
> Seekerlet: 6 meters.
> 
> Seekerling: 1.5 meters.(Grows into the seekerlet stage in 4 vorns.)

They are losing him.

First Aid just stares at the horrendous wound taking up Sideswipe's whole midsection. It is a miracle the frontliner hadn't been torn completely in two by the damage.

Any energon they try to supply his frame with is almost instantly lost to the seeping lines in the wound, and anything he tries to do to prevent any further loss of fluids just ruptures the wound further. Sealing one line only increases the pressure in the other weakened lines, which burst open, splashing even more energon.

There's nothing he can do.

They are going to lose Sideswipe because he simply isn't good enough.

Starscream does his best, but the seeker isn't Ratchet, isn't designed to handle the delicate tools and more than once his claws slip and create new wounds in the injured frontliner.

It is just impossible for them to do anything.

Sideswipe's spark rate drops dangerously and Starscream screams in emotional pain at the sight, cradling the greying frame to his own, smearing Sideswipe's energon all over himself.

First Aid just sighs in defeat.

If there is a god keeping watch over them, now would be a good time for him to interfere.

And miraculously, the spark rate grows slightly in strength and a bit of the red color returns.

"Don't you dare do this to me, Sideswipe," Starscream sobs, still draped all over the dying frontliner.

"Starscream, I don't think…" First Aid tries to soothe, placing a reassuring servo on a trembling wing.

"NO! I'm not giving him up!" Starscream roars in sudden fury at the touch and First Aid takes several steps back in fear.

Starscream is onto him a klik later, tackling him to the floor and digging claws into him. The tricolored seeker's optics are wide and completely white, black flashing in them for just a brief moment before the maddening white is back and those long fangs just come closer and closer.

"Starscream!" First Aid panics, his spark pulsing so fast that it feels like it's going to break his sparkchamber.

He frantically looks around, seeing Skywarp and Thundercracker a short distance away, but both have gone into some sort of healing state. The black and purple seeker doesn't even twitch at the growing noise of panic in the room, and Thundercracker is clearly in a deep fatigued recharge.

He is alone with the rampaging Starscream.

Then the next moment some otherworldly presence lifts Starscream away from his frame and First Aid stares up into the nothingness keeping the tricolored seeker in a vice.

"No. Let me go! Sides! Sideswipe!" Starscream struggles against the god, coherency slowly returning. His optics widen as he stares at the translucent seeker suddenly materializing above him.

/Calm down, Starscream,/ The Sky Above sighs. He hadn't expected Starscream to react this strongly to his sudden presence. Then again, Starscream is not a normal seeker, and he should have predicted the rage rising at the touch of his essence and the infusion of ancient coding into the tricolored seeker.

As a 'god borne', it's no surprise that Starscream reacted strongly to that momentary infusion of root deep coding, especially with how keyed up he is at the moment. Basically, he reverted into the mindset of the seekers as they were in the earliest stages of their existence, wilder and more brutal.

/SIDESWIPE!/ Starscream's scream shatters the glass in some of the cabinets and First Aid huddles in on himself on the floor, trying to protect himself from the falling debris.

/He will be okay, Starscream, if you just calm down. Follow your instincts and everything is going to be alright,/ the god explains, his usually gentle voice slightly strained in exasperation at the seeker thrashing violently in his grip.

Starscream drops to the floor when the god releases the grip on him, and stares around confused, gasping heavily. The Sky Above is nowhere to be seen.

Seeing First Aid cowering on the floor with him, he instantly feels guilty.

"'Aid… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," he apologizes, scooting a bit closer, only to balk when the younger medic lets out a piteous fearful whimper.

Alerts begin to blare and Starscream straightens, his wings shooting high on his back in distress.

"No!" he whimpers, clamoring to his thrusters and staring at the growing pool of energon soaking the berth beneath Sideswipe. The monitors come alive with alert after alert as the frontliner once again begins to slip into death's embrace.

_Follow your instincts._ The Sky Above's voice sounds in his processor, and the calmness in it slowly eases his panicking spark.

If it had been Thundercracker or Skywarp he would have…

But Sideswipe isn't a seeker…

Will it work?

With a frown and a slight flare of hope in his quivering spark, he begins the process of coughing up the nanites. When he has spat it onto his servo, he hesitates.

The wound is so large, so deep.

Doubt begins to once again rise in his spark and his wings tremble.

_Do it,_ the god orders.

Without further thought, he splashes the nanites onto the wound before he digs his claws into it and begins to gingerly apply the nanite rich substance to every surface. Smoke begins to rise from the wound as he works and he don't know if the smell of burnt circuitry should be there, but at least he has something to do and his mind slowly calms further.

From the floor, First Aid stares as Starscream works.

What the…?

The smoke and smell of ruined circuitry has him rising, and he carefully steps closer, trying not to distract Starscream in his work. He doesn't want a repeat of whatever madness had taken over the tricolored seeker before.

The flow of energon from the wound dwindles, until it stops completely and the several drips supplying Sideswipe with energon are finally able to raise the energy levels. One after one the frontliner's systems begin to stabilize.

When Starscream steps back with a sigh, First Aid looks down at a wound still open, but no longer life threatening. It is clean from any sign of the seeping fluids and the smoke is gone. The only thing left is plating visibly creeping along the ruined circuitry, reforming, repairing and regrowing.

He stares mutely up at Starscream when the outer plating begins to close off the wound, sealing it away behind the regrowth.

"How?" he asks, incredulous.

"It worked." Starscream sags visibly, and then he looks to the stunned younger medic with a weak smile.

"How is this possible?" First Aid asks, unable to believe his own optics.

"I don't know, but it worked." Starscream answers elatedly, misunderstanding the question. Then he looks at bit closer at First Aid, and when he sees the damage he has caused, he reaches a servo towards the younger medic.

"Here, let me tend to your injuries," he offers, and begins to gently apply what remains of the nanites on his servos onto the puncture wounds created by his claws.

The wounds begin to sizzle, smoke drifting up, and First Aid stares at Starscream in shock when the pain from the small wounds is instantly soothed to nothing. Soon there is no sign at all on his frame to show that the tricolored seeker had attacked him.

Once again he just stares at Starscream.

No wonder the seekers are so resilient if they are all capable of this sort of healing.

The war has only revealed the enhanced internal self-repair. This superior healing ability is completely new knowledge to them.

"I'm going to rest," Starscream adds tiredly. Now that Sideswipe is going to survive, all the stress that kept him standing has left him. Overtaxed systems desperately need to recover and his energy levels are dwindling towards red levels.

His seekerling is safe with Skywarp, but he needs to be fit enough within the next cycles when it is going to demand food. He could let Skywarp do it, but that close connection to it during the feeding is something he has come to cherish the most.

Stumbling away from First Aid, he grabs a cube from the stash before collapsing fitfully beside the pile of his mates. The energon is downed in several large gulps, and soon he is resting flush against Thundercracker, his helm leaning against the dominant's shoulder. His right wing lazily drapes itself over Skywarp, resting on top of Thundercracker, and a content purr flows from his lips as he enters recharge.

Left alone to tend to the rest of the damage done to Sideswipe, First Aid casts the seeker-pile a last glance before he turns to his work.

* * *

When Sunstreaker bursts into the medbay a cycle later and zeroes in on his brother's prone frame, Sideswipe looks almost as if he is just resting, the lingering damage behind the closed plating left to the seekers strange way of healing.

"Careful, Sunstreaker," First Aid protests when the yellow frontliner climbs onto the berth with his twin and curls protectively around the still healing frame.

"Let him." Optimus breaks in with a tired voice as he steps into the medbay and glances at the pile of recharging seekers before turning his attention onto the red frontliner.

"How bad does it look, Prime?" First Aid asks, scanning Optimus to make sure that the energon covering the Autobot leader's frame isn't the mech's own. He sags in relief when no severe damage shows up.

"We have a few badly injured, but no one as severely as Sideswipe," Optimus answers. As if on cue, the injured then walks in or are being carried in by their less damaged comrades, the worst of them being Ironhide, who had clashed with Soundwave.

The weapons specialist is missing one of his cannons, carried in his left servo, while his right arm is amputated just below the elbow joint. His left leg is amputated as well, the remaining stump seeping with a steady stream of energon from sloppily sealed lines.

Orders are being yelled by the younger medic, creating order in the chaos of the injured. Soon almost every berth is occupied, and Ratchet has been placed inside one of the antechambers to give the dying CMO a little peace.

When the worst of the commotion is over, Optimus turns to the three seekers still sound in recharge, the noise from the several mechs in the room not jostling them in the slightest.

"Sir, I wouldn't…" First Aid warns too late when he sees the Prime walk closer to the seeker-pile.

Yellow optics online with fierce intensity at the sensed proximity of the Autobot leader, and Thundercracker lets out a warning hiss beneath Skywarp's frame. A small cycle of his powerful engines adds to the threat with a rumble, but nothing else happens while the two leaders stare at each other.

"Thank you." Optimus pours all his gratitude into the two simple words. Then he slowly and carefully backs away in respect for the Winglord, acknowledging Thundercracker's superiority by not turning his back to the massive seeker.

You don't turn your back on someone you consider a threat. He begins to understand how symbolic the seekers are, and if he did turn his back to the Winglord, he is sure Thundercracker – in offense at the action – would be onto him in less than a klik.

Thundercracker just releases a grunted gust of air in reply, and his optics offline again.

"Prime, I hope you are aware of how stupid what you just did was?" First Aid scolds from where he is sealing the lines in Ironhide's injured leg. "He might seem unaware, but never believe that about any seeker. See those minute flutters in the wings? Even now he is watching us intensely, even if his optics are offline," the younger medic sternly explains.

And Optimus does see them.

The small movements he had thought to be a result of the Winglord's recharge are too controlled to actually be such. The small jerks this and that way are telling, and the inconspicuous pattern repeats endlessly only to be disrupted when the wings detect movement and stiffens to measure the threat. Like this, it is obvious that Thundercracker is on high alert while looking completely non-threatening to his surroundings. At least until someone oversteps the invisible line defining the safe zone around the Winglord and his mates.

"He is protecting his offspring, Sir. Starscream gave birth to his creation while he was back on Cybertron. I briefly saw it when he handed it to Skywarp before assisting me with Sideswipe. I don't recommend anyone getting close to any of them at the moment, unless they themselves invite it," First Aid continues in a lighter voice, garnering the attention of most of the mechs in the room.

"What did it look like?" Optimus asks, voice delighted, and he looks closer at Starscream before glancing to Skywarp. No visible cockpits. He will have to ask when the seekers rouse.

He remembers his first meeting with Starscream, but back then the tricolored seeker had been a seekerlet and not a seekerling. He can't help wondering what such a young individual looks like.

"It is hard to describe. A transparent wriggling puddle of shiny gooey metal?" First Aid muses. How do you explain the visible spark and translucent colorlessness to a mech who hasn't seen it before?

As if sensing what they are talking about, Thundercracker onlines his optics again and, with a growl, pushes Skywarp down along his side, beside Starscream, before he rolls and shields both his submissives and creation protectively from sight with one of his large wings.

"At least he doesn't see us as a threat. If I'm right, he wouldn't have done that if he did, would he?" Optimus asks curiously.

"I think he's annoyed at the attention focused on his mates. Let's get back to work. They are going to come around whenever they feel like it," First Aid shushes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

When Starscream wakes and gently pushes at the protective wing covering him, Thundercracker growls at him and covers the tricolored submissive again, his optics flashing with open challenge.

::Mine,:: he states possessively.

Starscream puffs himself up in a rare display of defiance, and the Autobots still inside the medbay watch the peculiar sight of the larger dominant for once bowing to the will of the smaller submissive.

After an affectionate kiss to Thundercracker's lips to reassure the dominant, Starscream untangles himself from the blue wing and rises on stiff thrusters. He turns to Skywarp and kneels before gently nudging the black and purple seeker awake.

/Wha-?/ Skywarp murmurs, about to curl in on himself a bit further. A low growl, however, has him instantly awake and glancing up into Starscream's expectant optics.

The feeling of the squirming seekerling inside his cockpit connects the dots, and he gives Starscream a sheepish look as he reaches down to withdraw the seekerling and hand it to its carrier.

Thundercracker follows him when Starscream rises again, towering behind the submissive as an open threat to the grounders, while the Autobots are treated to the first sight of Starscream's little creation. The tricolored seeker doesn't seem to sense all the optics fixated on him and the seekerling as he nudges a feeding line between the tiny lips and leans back against his dominant, relaxing and purring softly at the feeling of his little one draining him.

Craning his neck, he looks directly up at Thundercracker, and the dominant gives the Autobots a last threatening glare before he turns his full attention on his mate, seeking his attention.

/They can see it. They won't hurt it. They took care of me as a little one. Let them have this moment to revel in past memories./ Starscream smiles up at Thundercracker, seeking understanding and acceptance. He might be the one to make the decision about whether or not to reveal his little one to the Autobots, but it is always wise to seek Thundercracker's permission. It will make the dominant less likely to overreact.

Thundercracker's claws reach forward, and the Autobots holds their breath when the large menacing weapons gently nudge at tiny translucent wings. The touch coaxes a little chirp from the seekerling, as well as a burp when the touch causes it to wriggle while it ingests its fuel and makes the fuel clog in the intake.

A swat from Starscream and the claws reluctantly leave the seekerling alone, but the tricolored submissive smiles at the feeling of Thundercracker visibly relaxing.

/As you wish, Starscream,/ Thundercracker murmurs, settling down to calmly watch his youngest creation feed.

Skywarp joins them a moment later and stares longingly at the seekerling as it feeds. His own youngest is no longer that dependent on him, and is still back on Cybertron with the trine taking care of all their younger creations.

One of Thundercracker's wings moves to embrace him, and he smiles as he leans into the large blue frame.

/Soon,/ Thundercracker soothes him, easily feeling Skywarp's longing. It is hard to suddenly share the attention from his dominant with another, and even worse when the other naturally has more of the attention due to his state as a carrier to a newly born.

Skywarp loves Starscream, loves the seekerling created between Thundercracker and Starscream, but he has gotten used to have Thundercracker's undivided attention for so long that it is hard to suddenly not be the sole center of the dominant's life anymore.

/Soon,/ he confirms, spark swelling at the prospect of his heat rising within the coming lunar cycles.

/Soon,/ Starscream adds in concert, resting his helm against Skywarp's shoulder.

They stay like that for a long while, the seekerling eagerly feeding and looking around at the three mature seekers - carrier, Sire and carra - then at the surroundings and the ground-bound beings a short distance away.

Intelligent and curious, just like Starscream was as a seekerling, it studies the strange frames intensely. When it releases the feeding line, it flaps its wings in a sign of clear interest, a little purring sound escaping it.

/Want to meet them?/ Starscream smiles at the little one. His smile widens when it looks up at him, yellow optics shining bright and expectant.

/Then let's get up and meet them,/ he answers, chuckling at the eagerly flaring wings as he slowly rises.

A litany of chirrs and chirrups escape the little vocalizer as Starscream walks to the berth still occupied by Sideswipe. Sunstreaker is sitting beside it, almost desperately holding onto one of his twin's servos.

"Sunny," Starscream breathes, placing the seekerling on his shoulder before he slowly bows down to hug the yellow frontliner.

"Star. I-… Thank you f-for Sides," Sunstreaker stutters, his helm resting against Starscream's shoulder. Only when a small tapping is felt does he lift his gaze and stare at the seekerling, who curiously touches his plating.

A happy chirp at the attention it garnered from the yellow grounder follows the touch, and the seekerling flares its wings in an adorable display. Sunstreaker is unable to hold onto the fear and pain lingering in his spark, and a small smile slowly cracks his saddened expression.

"It's beautiful, Starscream. So cute," he whispers before retreating slowly from the hug and the still reaching seekerling, careful to not cause it to topple off of its carrier.

"It looks so much like you." Another voice breaks in, and Starscream straightens to look at Hound and First Aid.

The tracker takes a step forward, and reaches open arms towards him.

"Forgive me, my little Starscream. I-… The war… You should have had us both by your side. I'm sorry it turned out like this. I hope… Now that Ratchet is slowly passing away that… we can reunite?" Hound fights to find the right words, and cringes at how he stumbles over sentence after sentence.

How do you make up for a lifetime of absence?

Pain fills Starscream's optics. The seekerling, sensing the distress in its carrier, trills a little happy tune to soothe, only to peep sadly when it doesn't work as intended.

"Hound…" Starscream whispers, and suddenly tears flow and he is hugging his second creator fiercely. "Of course I forgive you, stupid mech! You were - are - my creator. I know Ratchet became my primary caretaker, but I always waited and hoped that you would turn to me again. But… You never did, and I thought you hated me. Now I understand. The war. You had to be away a lot to scout and help. I'm the one who's sorry," he sobs, jarring the seekerling at the sudden move. Hound feels it topple onto him, the tiny claws scrambling for purchase before it slides down his armor and into free fall.

Pure reflex has him reaching and grabbing it, and suddenly he stands with his servo full of an investigating and unconcerned little being, while the Sire flares his wings wide in a silent warning.

A short moment of panic and a look to the displeased Winglord, and Hound is eagerly handing the seekerling back to its carrier, no matter how much he longs to lull it into recharge the way they used to with Starscream.

"Sorry," he apologizes, staring at Thundercracker out of the corner of wide optics.

"No, no, Hound. My fault. I shouldn't have been so sudden. It's just… Ratchet… How did it all happen?" Starscream asks with a sniff. That is something he still doesn't know. He has been too caught up in Ratchet's situation to ask how it happened in the first place.

"Soundwave," the tracker hisses in anger.

"He didn't…" Starscream shoots Thundercracker a nervous glance, "…die?"

The dominant cants his helm and prods at the bond, demanding an explanation for the sudden rise of troubled feelings in his mate, but Starscream seals it, doesn't allow Thundercracker to prod deeper and dig out the reason.

They don't need Thundercracker going on a rampage right now.

"No. That slagger is fragging resilient," Hound answers with a helm shake, "Purposely targeted Ratchet with some extremely dangerous and invasive disease. It slowly eats him up from the insides. His spark is infected, and that is something First Aid is unable to treat," he explains in a voice full of pain and sorrow.

Reining in the runaway seekerling before it slips between his claws, Starscream stares with distant optics at the door to where Ratchet is currently resting.

"A disease, you say…" he mutters with a frown.

Then he turns to look at Sideswipe and the healing wound, and his frown deepens.

Some unknown instinct is screaming at him, but at the moment he is unable to grasp the origin and understand the meaning behind the feeling. His thoughts are further disrupted when the Prime walks in.

"Starscream. It is so good to see you up. Is that…?" Optimus greets, optics zeroing in on the wriggling puddle of goo in the tricolored seeker's claws. First Aid was right, it does look like that. How strange.

"Optimus," Starscream greets with a smile, turning to face the red and blue mech, his seekerling staring with open fascination at the large stranger. "I apologize for its eagerness. It hasn't seen ground-bound this close before." 'At least not while they were still alive,' he silently adds, grimacing at the thought of the large number of ground-bound he has consumed during his time back on Cybertron.

"It is adorable," Optimus says, crouching to look closer at the strange little individual wriggling and complaining in its carrier's claws. The complaining grows when Starscream doesn't allow it to explore the interesting being in front of it, and a small screech leaves the small vocalizer before the seekerling digs its immature fangs into its carrier's plating.

Having had enough, Thundercracker walks up behind Starscream and takes his creation away from the sight of the curious Autobot leader. A low scolding growl instantly silences the fussing seekerling, and the Prime stares at the Winglord's retreating frame and the once again shielded creation.

Keeping his anger in check, Starscream apologizes to Optimus before he walks over to where Thundercracker is sitting with Skywarp curled against him. When he is within reach, he swipes at a blue wing, raking his claws along the surface and digging them firmly into the plating to really cause pain without showing too much violence in the presence of the Autobots.

The dominant's large frame jerks at the pain, but the blue wing willingly pushes into the attack. However, when Thundercracker looks up, his optics show no apology.

::Mine,:: Thundercracker states possessively, cradling the seekerling flush against his cockpit.

::MINE!:: Starscream counters with force, flaring his wings in open hostility.

There is no response from the dominant. Instead, Thundercracker rises and walks out of the medbay, still with the seekerling secured firmly in his grasp. Starscream is after him instantly, but the cramped corridor prevents him from doing anything before they are outside.

Skywarp sheepishly glances at the stunned grounders before he is gone from the room with a pop of displaced air, rematerializing atop the volcano and the prepared resting area. There he oversees as Starscream punishes Thundercracker for the first time, and the following heated mating between the pair.

The following days on Earth become a routine for the three seekers as well as the Autobots. At sunrise, Thundercracker asserts his dominance over Starscream by claiming the submissive before the tricolored seeker vanishes down into the Autobot base, much to the embarrassment of the Autobots keeping watch over the precipice at any given time.

Taking their optics off of a trio of wild seekers? No way!

Then Starscream spends his time overseeing Sideswipe's healing. Reopening the gaping wound behind the regrown plating, he applies more nanites to it to supply the healing frame with the materials needed to regrow all the damage, since the frontliner isn't a seeker and doesn't do it on his own.

When that is seen to, he simply just sits beside Ratchet inside the antechamber.

Meanwhile Thundercracker has taken to keeping watch from the precipice atop the mountain during the whole day, his watch only disrupted by times where he flies and strays away from the area around the volcano.

Skywarp bounces between them, appearing in the medbay when Starscream is done with Sideswipe to keep him company for a short while beside Ratchet. Other times he is seen curling into Thundercracker, demanding attention during the moments when the Winglord is stationary on his watch post.

Calm settles over the base at the sight of the seekers this domestic, and it would be so easy for the Autobots to forget how dangerous their current guests actually are, if not for the occasional violent outbursts between the three seekers, showing their natural brutality.

Then comes the morning where Starscream with a sigh announces that he can't do any more for Sideswipe, and that the rest of the healing now is solely up to the red frontliner and the internal self-repair.

He stops, almost chokes on the words and his optics widens comically.

"But, Starscream, we don't have internal self-repair." First Aid explains, confused.

Trembling, Starscream looks down at his claws and just stares, feeling so utterly stupid.

If the nanites work on Sideswipe, then maybe…

"A syringe. I need a syringe!" he calls out, scrambling towards one of the cabinets and opens drawer after drawer until he finds what he is searching for.

Holding the needle up to optic level, he wonders how much he will need…

"Starscream?" First Aid inquires worriedly, seeing Starscream hold one of the largest syringes in their assortment.

"Not now, First Aid. I need to think." Starscream absentmindedly waves the question away.

The moment he plunges the needle into one of his energon lines, Skywarp materializes with Thundercracker. The dominant is in a thunderously foul mood at the feeling of pain from his tricolored mate, as Starscream pierces his own plating and withdraws a decent amount of energon into the syringe.

/Starscream! What are you doing?/ Skywarp asks, worried.

/Saving my creator,/ he states simply. There is no doubt in his voice, and without even glancing at his mates, he walks with determined steps toward the antechamber and Ratchet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarification: The nanites is an extra enhanced healing to the physical part of the seeker, supporting the regrowth of lost parts on the seekers. The internal self-repair is what made them impossible to down with any biological warfare during the war on Cybertron, when the Autobots tried to use virus, diseases and poison to incapacitate their fierce enemies. For the most part it is protocols and subroutines running inside the seeker, but there is a part of it lingering in their energon as well, making it possible for them to negate the invasion of anything malicious or unnatural to the seekers frames the instant it enters them.
> 
> Which is what Starscream realized, and now is trying on his creator.
> 
> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of, if not the most important instalments in this story, and i hope you like the twist.

" _Ratchet."_

_The CMO looks around at his surroundings. Everything is a strange greyish green. He can't seem to find the speaker, and as he moves, the surroundings vanish in misty grey. The fog curls sluggishly around his frame, and where it caresses him, his plating is numbing._

_It is slowly draining him of his energy._

" _No more!" The voice speaks up, and searing light cleaves through the suffocating surroundings, blinding him._

_When his optics are finally able to adjust to the sudden light, he looks up, glancing at the magnificent celestial being standing a short distance away._

_The wings are the first thing he notices about the being, and for a short moment he thinks it is Starscream._

_But then he meets the optics and drowns in their blackness._

_Eons pass by in his mind as he stares into them: visions, evolution, himself in his fight for his people during the war on Cybertron. Everything is visible to him in that short moment._

" _It is time." The god, because it can't possibly be anyone else standing in front of him, speaks._

" _Primus," he hesitantly vocalizes, unsure if this really is their god. He was never pictured like this in the temples. Who would have thought that their god looks like a…seeker?_

" _Do not fear, Ratchet. I am your god. Everything is going to return to how it always should have been. Your adopted creation, Starscream, has already taken the first step for you. Now I just need for you to reawaken and welcome what awaits you. Let it happen. Never fear. I will be with you," The Sky Above reassures._

" _S-Starscream?" he stutters. As far as he knows the seeker is back on Cybertron, living his new life among his people._

_The god just nods._

" _Wh-where am I?" he asks. Now that most of the shock at the sight of the seeker - the god - has vanished, he looks around, only to see blinding light obscuring his vision._

" _The ethereal plane. The step between the living world and the Afterlife," the god answers, slowly walking closer. "It is time," The Sky Above announces once more, now standing directly in front of him._

_When Ratchet looks up he sees the claws reaching for him, then no more._

* * *

Earth is covered in darkness. It is in the middle of the night. No Autobot is awake inside the spaceship.

At the top of the volcano, the three seekers are in sound recharge.

A pair of yellow optics online in the darkness, the light from the moon illuminating the Winglord's frame as he breathes heavily from the dream that just woke him.

Lifting his helm, Thundercracker stares up at the stars blinking down at him and his mates, a deep frown on his faceplates.

Canting his helm, listening, he grunts a gust of air before settling to rest between his mates.

A moment later he lifts his helm again and snarls at the unseen intruder, annoyed at being disturbed in his recharge.

The voice doesn't hold up, and hoping not to wake his mates, he rises and walks down the mountain, his massive frame and large talons digging into the ground as he travels. It would be so easy to just fly down the volcano, but that is going to wake his mates.

At the bottom of the mountain he lets out another snarl, low and threatening, yet the voice keeps urging him on.

It drives him to the edge of the crack in the ground, and the entrance to the grounders far down below. Leaping into the abyss, he slowly glides down, adjusting his fall with his wings and landing with a heavy thud at the bottom.

His large claw pokes in the code to open the doors. Three to the right, two down, one up, one left, four to the right, six down and seven up, five left and then lastly a poke at the large pad verifying the code. The sequence is accepted and the heavy blast doors slide aside to grant access to the insides of the spaceship.

Crouching low, Thundercracker steps inside, growling at the creeping claustrophobia.

The voice leads him down narrow corridor after corridor, and when he stands in front of the medbay and the keypad demanding yet another code, one he doesn't have, he just slams his large servo onto it and crushes it. The door, malfunctioning at the sheer force of destruction and sparking ruined circuitry, opens of its own volition.

Entering the medbay, he inhales deeply. There is a strange scent wafting through the room, tantalizing and alluring to him. He doesn't even realize that at this point the voice in his mind is silent.

Drawing in the hypnotizing scent, he walks mindlessly further into the medbay. He whirrs his helm from side to side to draw more of the scent into his olfactory sensor to locate its origin, and follows the wafting scent trail in the air as it drags him towards the antechambers.

The scent grows in strength as he closes in on one of the chambers, and his systems are bursting with energy and need. His spike throbs painfully behind the cover and his spark burns hotly inside his sparkchamber.

The door easily fall victim to his strength, and the intensity of the scent inside the room nearly sends him to his knees.

As he steps inside, the last vestige of his control slips and his spike extends, oozing copious prefluids, the heavy scent in the room arousing him into a near frenzy.

Smoldering yellow optics zero in on the being lying on the sole berth in the room. Fangs are bared as he recognizes that it is this being who releases the alluring scent, and Thundercracker stops at the end of the berth, optics taking in the sight.

Just then, blue optics onlines.

* * *

Ratchet blearily onlines his optics to the dim darkness of the antechamber. In his addled state, it takes a moment for him to realize that there is someone in the room with him, and not just anyone. His spark pulse picks up at the sight of the yellow optics staring down at him.

There is a seeker looming above him…

There is a seeker…

He panics when the seeker lowers its helm towards him, the yellow optics fierce and smoldering, each breath from the predator blowing scorching hot air over his frame.

He can hear it inhale deeply, and cringes when those optics stops mere inches from his faceplates, burning into his own. He doesn't dare breathe.

A lyrical trill leaves it, and in deep shock he realizes that he recognizes the distinct sound.

Thundercracker.

Claws move up his legs, stopping at his hips, and he is jerked down along the surface of the berth. His legs are dangling uselessly over the edge, and to his shock, the Winglord moves between them, forcing them obscenely wide apart with the mass of the strong legs.

He looks up at the broadness of the dominant seeker's chest and cockpit while Thundercracker crouches above him, the extreme size difference making what is happening even crazier. The thought of what Thundercracker is trying is insane enough.

They aren't compatible.

Autobots don't reproduce like…

The seeker's spike nudges at his plating, and he can't help looking down. He swallows hard at the sight of the large, thick member standing proudly between the strong legs.

When Thundercracker realizes that this isn't possible…

He shivers at the sight of the claws now resting at each side of his midsection, large and menacing and ready to tear him apart.

To his surprise, Thundercracker retreats, the looming presence moving down along his frame, and he thinks he is going to survive this encounter.

His hope is crushed the next moment, and he is shocked when a warm, wet, and smooth glossa begins to lick at the area between his legs in an almost coaxing manner. The pleased purr leaving Thundercracker at his surprised gasp shocks him even further.

But what truly shocks him to the core of his spark is the feeling of intense pleasure the act creates in his frame. So intense that he can't hold back a moan, followed by a whimper, at the feeling of Thundercracker's dangerous fangs brushing him with each gentle lick of the glossa.

"Primus," he breathes, unable to believe that this is actually happening. That he has a seeker, the Winglord no less, kneeling between his legs and…servicing him?

Why is Thundercracker doing this?

Why does it feel like this?

Why?

The growing heat in his frame begins to pool in his lower midsection, and soon it morphs into an outright unpleasant feeling. Something is going to give or he is going to go insane at the feelings just growing and growing inside him.

A small snick sounds, but he doesn't have any chance to linger on the peculiar sound, because a scream is torn from him at the feeling of the glossa plunging INSIDE him, into his hyper sensitive newly developed valve.

Shaken to his core, he can feel his whole frame tremble. The rattling of his frame sounds strangely loud, and he cants his helm to locate the origin and just stares and stares and stares at the clearly developing wings accenting his shoulders on each side of his helm.

This has to be a dream.

This can't be reality.

It can't!

_Do not fear, Ratchet. Everything is as it shall be._ The god calmly speaks to him.

But-…

_Let it happen._

But-…

Thundercracker rises, once again looming as an ominous shadow above him. Scorching hot plating connects with his, the spike nudging almost gently at the entrance to his valve, grinding in slow motions. It takes a moment for him to realize that he is reciprocating the movement. His valve clenches and spark-deep want ignites a fire inside him.

He wants it, whatever the 'It' is.

The moment of penetration has him screaming at the top of his vocalizer when unused sensors are triggered by the entry, and he shakes violently as the spike fills him out completely. Thundercracker shuffles between his legs, adjusts his much larger frame, and bends at the knees to have the perfect angle to sheath the spike fully inside Ratchet's valve.

The first real thrust is full of force and moves him several inches up the berth, rattling his developing wings and forcing a suffering sound from his vocalizer. Thundercracker responds to his sound of distress by gently lowering his large frame to almost rest on top of Ratchet without completely smothering him. A gentle lyrical trill from the blue seeker encourages him, and he grabs onto the wings lowered invitingly to him, desperate to have some leverage to prevent him from moving uncontrollably beneath the rutting seeker.

He tries to keep the grip gentle, but the sheer force of the mating forces him to dig his digits deeper into the surface of the wings to remain still. The plating on the underside of the wings caves in under the force of his grip, and something wet begins to drip and trail along his plating.

In his processor, he is distantly aware of the thick scent of the seeker's energon, and instincts want him to let go of the wings to prevent further damage, but he can't. His grip only intensifies.

A broken, suffering sound is forced from Thundercracker at the intense grip on the wings, and Ratchet feels the spike move erratically inside him for several long kliks before the seeker regains control and adds more power behind the thrusting.

"Thundercracker," he whispers brokenly, just before his very first overload claims him, and he thrashes violently beneath the blue seeker.

Thundercracker doesn't falter in the slightest, despite the tight valve clenching around his spike as he keeps claiming the submissive seeker, but he lowers his helm to rest it against Ratchet's neck, while a continuous purr of satisfaction vibrates from his vocalizer.

/Mine,/ he purrs at the feeling of Ratchet's very essence melting into and becoming a part of the Winglord's essence. The once grounder now belongs completely to him in frame and spark, and there is no turning back once the Winglord essence has welcomed the new spark fragment.

He can feel his own overload approach, and baring his fangs against the submissive's vulnerable neck, he breathes in everything Ratchet has to offer him. The alluring scent of a submissive seeker in heat is intoxicating, more so than the scent of the energon running inside the changing grounder's energon lines so close to his fangs.

The scent no longer tempts him to rip them open and feed.

Then he overloads, his transfluids filling the valve in several long and painful spurts, and he roars in pleasure. The intensity of his pleasure just grows when he feels the reaction to his release of coding in the unexpectedly fertile frame beneath him.

/Yes,/ he groans, pleased, unable to believe what is happening to the small frame beneath him as his spike releases the last spurt of transfluid into it.

Triggered by the rush of transfluids, Ratchet whimpers when short moments of pain seize his frame, and he collapses, completely spent, when the small convulsions in his frame cease several moments later and are replaced by a feeling of complacent warmth in his chest.

Thundercracker withdraws his spike gently from the valve and looks down at the small frame beneath him. Not yet a true seeker, but he can see and feel the changes happening. Starscream is soon going to have a true creator among their people.

With a last glance at Ratchet, who now, on instinct, is curling into a ball and protecting his chest and midsection, the Winglord silently retreats from the room and back to his mates, his purpose completed.

_Rest my dearest creation. You will need what energy you can get in the time to come._ The Sky Above gently touches Ratchet's mind for the last time before he retreats back into the Afterlife, but he is intent on following the proceedings and consequences behind the revealed reality.

They are all seekers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we can really move onto the plot in the story. There will be explanations on what happened in Ratchets frame as well as what caused the grounders to develop in the first place and break away from their people, their evolution, the development of their society and the change in cultural, social and traditional behaviour. The Matrix will be explained as well. Be in for some surprising new facts and the revelations of the small hints scattered all over the length of 'On Seeker Habits'.
> 
> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Simply put: Poor Ratchet.

When Ratchet uncurls after a short cycle of nursing the strange new feeling inside him, he looks around and expects to still find Thundercracker there, hovering above him.

But he is alone in the dim darkness.

He runs a scan of his frame. The procedure is strangely sluggish, not really wanting to obey him, but he manages to complete one after a few attempts.

He is…

He is…

He is carrying?

The red and white wings begin to tremble at the emotions surfacing inside him at the fact.

He…

Thundercracker…

"Oh my!"

He rises to sit on the berth, and tries to calm his frantic spark. He is sure the Sire will be pretty angry at him if he extinguishes the small newspark through pure stress.

"Calm down, Ratchet. Calm down. Everything is okay."

But…

It isn't.

It just isn't.

He is turning into a seeker.

And how the frag is that happening?

Why did Thundercracker come to him?

Why did the Winglord spark him?

There are so many questions rising in his processor that he can feel how his frame begin to overheat.

As a result, he can feel how his wings twitch nervously on his back, fanning erratically as a sea of emotions fights a war inside his spark. It definitely takes some getting used to, and with a curious glance over his left shoulder, he stares at them as they move in uncontrolled patterns.

With growing curiosity, he studies the patterns and notes the feelings prompting each movement, trying to single out the unending ways of communicating his feelings with them and gain control over what he is communicating to the world around him.

When something prompts him to reach out and touch them, examine them, he stops at the sight of his servo. His wings stiffen completely in shock before they almost topple him from the berth, violent distress showing in them.

Claws.

He is growing claws.

He can see how his digits are sharpening, growing longer, and have begun to curve slightly at their very tip.

No.

No!

He can't handle all this.

Not alone.

He carefully leaves the berth, swaying dangerously before he finds his balance and his wings stabilize him. At least they know what to do, because he is clueless. They might not be as large as he knows they are going to be, but already now they make him unstable with the change in balance point.

The first step he takes threatens to send him collapsing to the floor in sheer pain.

His feet hurt!

"Primus, why me?!" he whimpers pathetically.

Every step he takes forces tears to well up in his optics. At least Thundercracker has left the route out of the spaceship open, without any hindrance. Supporting himself against the walls, he stumbles along the empty corridors towards the exit.

When he finally makes it outside, he almost cries at the sight of the steep walls surrounding the spaceship down in the crack.

How is he ever going to get up from down here with his feet hurting like this?

Any will leaves him at the sight of the merciless slopes along the walls. He used to travel them to get up when he was a ground-bound. Now it is an impossible obstacle course, and too dangerous in his unstable state.

"Why!" he screams powerlessly, looking up at the night sky high above. With the first shakes of his frame, he collapses and allows himself to finally cry out all his misery.

He doesn't know for how long he stays like that. All that matters when he hears sound is the being silently descending down into the crack, the wings rattling as the seeker adjusts for the fall and then lands beside him, barely jostling anything when landing.

He looks up with tears in the corner of his optics and streaks of tears along his cheeks, optics pleading.

A soothing croon, almost sounding like an apology, and then strong arms wrap around him, lifting him as if he is nothing more than a feather.

Curling into Thundercracker's soothing presence, he lets out a few more sobs before the stress and the sense of security in the Winglord's embrace lulls him into recharge. The blue seeker bounces and brings the powerful thrusters alive to carry them to the surface.

He shouldn't have left. Thundercracker realizes that as he looks down at Ratchet curled securely in his arms as he ascends to the surface again. He should have stayed to make sure that the red and white seeker would be alright, but he hadn't expected the newly-sparked carrier to despair at his absence.

A gentle nudge through the Winglord essence reassures him that the newspark is well and healthy and isn't suffering from its carrier's chaotic feelings, and he lets out a little coo as he lands beside the crack in the ground.

Looking up at the volcano where his mates still rest, he contemplates what to do. Then he shrugs and gently places Ratchet onto the ground before he lies down beside the smaller seeker and curls his frame protectively around the red and white frame, completely obscuring Ratchet from sight and protecting him from the coldness of the night.

Starscream and Skywarp are safe enough for the time being. Right now it is more imperative that he stays close to the distressed carrier of his newspark, to offer comfort and protection to the red and white submissive.

As he offlines his optics and settles down to rest and watch over the recharging carrier, he wonders about what is causing this to happen. The dream that woke him returns to the forefront of his mind, and he frowns at the vocalizations between The Sky Above and Starscream's creator.

Are there more of them?

If so…

He hesitates, onlines his optics again, and stares into the darkness surrounding them.

Crossfire is going to arrive within the next few orns.

There is still fighting going on, on this planet.

He can't lose a single one of the grounders on this planet if…

…Starscream's creator isn't the only one.

It has to end.

They have to return to the old ways and only hunt the grounders to capture, not to kill.

His optics widens when he realizes that this is what caused him to act so lenient towards the red grounder a few orns before. It would have died, but something in his spark had told him that he couldn't let that happen and had prompted him to act.

/Sky Above,/ he hisses, realizing that their god had manipulated him.

Just like this recharge cycle.

But the feeling of the two new presences within the Winglord essence calms his anger, and he curls a bit tighter around Ratchet's recharging form.

/No more!/ he murmurs, determined, the words a vow to protect all the possible seekers resting below the surface of the earth.

Cybertron's grounders will have to wait. He isn't a god, he can't save them all from the continued hunts in the following orns, but the instant Crossfire shows up, his fastest scout is going to be sent back with a reinforced glyph forcing everything going on back on Cybertron to stop until he has returned.

It is going to cause uproar, he is well aware of that. And he is going to be challenged, but he can't disregard any of this just to keep his powerbase secure.

That is not his purpose as Winglord.

He needs to see to the welfare of all his people, and if these grounders truly are a part of his people in some strange way, then he has obligations. He can't allow them to be hurt any further, not by his seekers or their own kind.

With that in mind, he settles down again to watch over the red and white seeker just as the sun begins to brighten the horizon, proclaiming the slow beginning of a new day on Earth.

The light grows, expands, and soon the sun peeks over the horizon, claiming more and more of the sky in a startling pinkish glow. The clouds illuminate, looking like they are burning from the gentle touch of the light reflecting in them and sending the light expanding even more.

The light claims more and more of the sky until it begins to stretch and expand along the ground, burning away the lingering coldness with its heat. It stretches and finally reaches its destination. Thundercracker looks up when the first rays of sunlight gently caress his wings, and he flickers them to draw in more of the offered warmth.

With a content sigh, he uncurls from around Ratchet and stands, flaring his wings wide and bathing them in the welcoming sunlight. On the ground Ratchet begins to stir when his own wings are touched by the gentle warmth, rousing him.

He onlines his optics sluggishly to the sight of the Winglord's impressive thrusters only a few dozen inches from where he is resting his helm. A glance up has him following the lines of the powerful frame, and in his processor he is distantly aware that he should be afraid of being this close to the fearsome seeker.

Why isn't he afraid?

What has happened?

Why is the seeker here and not on Cybertron?

Something on his back moves, and he uncurls in annoyance to look.

The instant he does, everything catches up with him and the distress from before he entered recharge resurfaces in full force.

The wings begin to rattle and he is unable to silence them.

"No. No, this isn't happening. This can't be. It is just a dream. Wake up, Ratchet. Wake up now, please," he mutters as he curls in on himself again and begins to rock his frame in distress. He doesn't care that it causes pangs of pain from the wings. They aren't his. They aren't real.

A shadow looms above him, blocking out the sunlight, and he flinches when Thundercracker kneels down beside him and reaches claws towards him. His optics widen at the sight and he desperately wishes for them to strike, to hurt him so that everything is as it should be. Their gentle and considerate reaching is simply too surreal.

He whimpers when they touch him, his processor screaming to him that this isn't a dream, it is real, horribly real.

He begins to cry, and violent shaking rattles his whole frame. The touch from the Winglord is far from soothing.

He is drowning in despair and distress, his processor full of thoughts, his spark full of feelings, and the two clash as he tries to keep himself in denial of reality.

Then he becomes distantly aware of increasing sounds around him, piercing through his internal battle.

Suddenly more claws are touching him, arms snaking around him, embracing him, hugging him close, close to a frame too small to be Thundercracker's.

In surprise, he onlines his optics and stares up into emotional yellow optics.

Starscream's.

Tears begin to fall from them, and he mirrors them, allowing the flood of feelings to finally overtake him. He cries shamelessly in the embrace of his creation, digging his digits into the plating holding him, desperately seeking an anchor.

/Ratchet,/ Starscream trills softly

He frowns at the lyrical intonation.

He can't understand it.

"Ratchet." Starscream turns to common cybertronian.

"My Starscream. My little creation," he sobs. It has been so long since he last saw the seeker and… He is there now. He can feel how his sharp digits begin to penetrate the plating he holds onto, cramp-like, but he can't seem to bring himself to let go of Starscream.

"Wh-what has happened to you? Why is this happening? When I left you, you were okay; you were not turning into…this." Starscream glances over the reforming frame of his creator, panic and guilt warring inside his spark.

"I don't know!" His words are hysterical and his crying just intensifies at the fact that even Starscream doesn't know what is going on. The god had referred to Starscream doing something, but if he doesn't know…

Thundercracker gently nudges Starscream, nuzzles his helm against a cheek wet with tears and the Winglord says something which only seems to worry Starscream more.

A moment later he is lifted out of Starscream's embrace to weak protests from the tricolored seeker. There is some more lyrical communication between the two seekers, and he can feel the air vibrate with the movements of their wings, some harsh, some fanning, just like the sound of their vocalizations.

He can imagine their argument, and he begins to struggle when Starscream completely lets go of him.

No!

He wants to stay with his creation. Starscream is the only thing in the universe that is currently grounding him, preventing him from going completely insane in the insanity his life has become.

"Thundercracker is going to take you up, Ratchet. Relax and flare your wings, let them feel," is the last he hears from Starscream before Thundercracker's powerful thrusters ignite in full force. He looks down and watches as Starscream's tricolored frame just grows smaller and smaller the higher Thundercracker soars into the sky.

Strange calmness begins to settle within him with the first harsh blow of the wind, and his wings twitch eagerly when their sensors register the playful caresses along them. The world below is so immensely large, yet so small. His processor willingly informs him of their height, and the fear that should have been there isn't. Instead he feels a sense of complete freedom.

If it weren't for his underdeveloped wings, he is sure he would have willingly jumped into the air. Instead, he looks up at Thundercracker and leans into the powerful frame carrying him into his new element. Everything seems a little bit more bearable with a calm and clearer mind.

Then Thundercracker throws him out and away from the frame keeping him airborne, and he panics.

He flails, desperately reaching for the blue seeker, optics wide and begging, but Thundercracker just watches him with expectant optics.

His wings flare on instinct, slowing his descent, and even if they aren't large enough to keep him stationary, he can feel their strength, power and ability. He is able to tweak them slightly and change his direction and the speed with which he falls.

He looks up at Thundercracker, now hovering far above him, and a serene smile forms on his lips at the sight of the dominant seeker slowly following him down.

The moment of panic when Thundercracker released him is completely forgotten the next instant as his spark fills with trust. The Winglord isn't going to let anything happen to him, and that reassurance allows him to relax. Sensing the gentle blow of the wind against his plating, he basks in the feeling of complete freedom as he slowly descends towards the ground, his wings making sure that he doesn't fall to his death.

Then a sudden sharp blow of the wind sends him into a spin and a short moment of panic overtakes his spark, but the next instant Thundercracker has shot down and is now embracing him again.

When they land on the ground again a few moments later, he is a completely changed mech – seeker.

He is a lot more comfortable with this new frame developing out from his old one, and his wings stand high and proud for the very first time. Thundercracker grunts at the sight of the high-held wings and pokes a bit at them, lowering them slightly by his touch.

Skywarp walks up to them, pushes Thundercracker away with a daring dismissive rise and flicker of the black wings, and then drags a put-off Ratchet with him towards Starscream.

Thundercracker growls at the daring move from his mate, but does no further. He just settles down to keep watch over the three submissives as Ratchet kneels beside Starscream and is introduced to the seekerling for the very first time.

At the same time, down in the Autobot base, First Aid walks in to the sight of the ruined door into the medbay and the shredded door into Ratchet's antechamber, and the missing CMO.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter suffers a bit from lack of energy yesterday, stress and troubles to get it started the right way. I hope i have managed to fix it into the flow from the other chapters, but if it seems a bit forced, that is why.

"Do you like him?" Starscream asks, while nudging a feeding line toward the seekerling in Ratchet's servo.

The seekerling eagerly latches onto the offered fuel, while curiously studying the unknown seeker holding it. The red and white submissive with its deformed frame is a mystery, but the seekerling senses the importance this seeker holds through the bond with its carrier. It isn't a carrier, but more like a carra to its own carrier

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asks with a frown. He gently nuzzles the seekerling's translucent wings, which earns him a content purr.

"You're constantly casting him glances. Your wings are sending him signals that indicate interest," Starscream points out with a smirk and looks towards where Thundercracker is perched against a large boulder, watching them.

The dominant senses the attention and flutters his large wings in a flirting display, and Starscream answers the underlying message with a tantalizing display of his own wings, telling Thundercracker that he is willing.

A little more time, a few more displays, and Starscream knows that Thundercracker is going to claim one of them.

He loves to see his dominant in a blaze of fiery arousal, and it doesn't matter if it is going to be Skywarp or himself that will be the target of the lust rising in Thundercracker. It is a thrill of its own, awakening such intense feelings of lust in the Winglord.

Skywarp fills the bond with agreement, and Starscream turns to smile at him, aware that his obvious disregard of Thundercracker is going to cause the dominant to snap sooner rather than later.

"Maybe," Ratchet answers reluctantly. He has to admit that something inside him yearns to respond to Thundercracker's display, but he doesn't, because that is his creation's mate and thus in his mind off-limits, even if he is sparked up by the dominant.

Lingering on that thought, he realizes there is something he needs to ask.

"It doesn't bother you that he sparked me?" he asks, while affectionately rubbing at his chestplates and staring at Thundercracker's blatant display.

"He is the Winglord," Starscream answers matter-of-factly, as if it explains everything. And it would, if Ratchet had been as educated in seekers as Starscream now is after living almost a stellar cycle among his people.

Finally, Thundercracker rises. Starscream trills a small encouraging tune as the dominant, with wings held high and proud to show off his assets, walks towards them, his yellow optics smoldering with intent.

"He is the epitome of our people, and as such he donates his coding to the trines without a dominant. He is our mate, but he isn't exclusively ours on that matter. We need him to spread his coding to strengthen our species," Starscream explains as Skywarp is forced onto his back and mounted. Thundercracker's spike extends and drips with copious prefluids, showing how utterly they have succeeded in arousing their mate.

Skywarp keens when Thundercracker penetrates him, and Ratchet looks away, too ashamed to look at the display. Instead, he returns his attention to the seekerling in his servo and resumes nuzzling the tiny translucent wings.

"It is just like you. I can't believe you were this small," He states, desperate to change the topic and not pay attention to the mating going on right over there!

Starscream smiles knowingly, but allows Ratchet this small peace of mind.

He has been there himself, but is firmly cured of his bashfulness. You simply can't hold onto it when so much in their society centers on reproduction and dominant displays, interfacing being one of the most common.

"We have all been this small, even Thundercracker. Then we grow up and aren't so small anymore," Starscream points out, remembering Thundercracker's words when he had been introduced to Skywarp's little one at their first real meeting, the one that almost went so awfully wrong between them.

"I still can't believe that this is real," Ratchet whispers, awestruck, as he looks from the seekerling to the rutting dominant and compares the crazy size difference. It makes him wonder how big his own newspark is going to be, and for how long he will be carrying.

There is so little he knows about the seekers, and turning into one doesn't just provide him with all the answers.

"I now understand better what you saw in him," he murmurs, turning to glance at Starscream again. Thundercracker is speaking to his inner-most feelings, and he isn't sure how much of it is from the fact that the blue seeker is a powerful dominant, the Winglord, or Sire to the newspark developing inside him.

Coding, he has to remember.

The seekers are ruthlessly ruled by it, as he learned when Starscream at first refused the trine-coding.

How will it affect himself?

Is he going to have a trine someday?

Who will his dominant be?

His thoughts are disturbed by the sudden sound of keening protests. Skywarp is clearly approaching overload if the tiny whining noises coming from him are anything to go by, but Thundercracker has stopped moving, and looks up from where he is nibbling at the energon lines in the black and purple seeker's neck, his yellow optics critically scanning their surroundings.

The next moment Thundercracker withdraws from Skywarp, and Ratchet is unable to take his optics off of the spike and the lubricants clinging to it. He suppresses an involuntary shudder at the sight and notices how it retracts behind its cover, still fully erect. The movement is slow, as if it is extremely painful, but Thundercracker doesn't show any sign of discomfort.

/Thundercracker?/ Starscream asks warily, following Thundercracker's gaze as the dominant scans their surroundings.

/Listen,/ Thundercracker answers curtly, not taking his optics off of their surroundings, as if he expects an attack any moment.

That is when Starscream becomes aware of the sound that has entered their surroundings.

A klaxon.

One he recognizes.

The one belonging to the medbay.

He turns towards Ratchet with narrow optics, hiding the rising panic in his spark.

"You didn't tell anyone that you left?" he asks.

"What? No! What would they have thought at the sight of this?!" Ratchet gestures down his frame, "Wasn't like I was coherent enough to think about it, either," he adds with a solemn mutter.

"Well, it looks like they've discovered that you are missing. The medbay klaxon is active. I guess First Aid got the shock of a lifetime when he realized you were missing," Starscream explains with a sigh, unaware of the telling signs of Thundercracker's claws on the keypad beside the malfunctioning door into the medbay, or the shredded door into the antechamber, leading the Autobots into an all-out panic at the evidence and unmistakable identity of the attacker.

Thundercracker is also unaware of this, as he rises to stand protectively in front of the three submissives.

He just senses a threat from the sound of the klaxon, associating it with previous experiences of similar sounds. His knowledgebase isn't large, the sound alien, but every time he has heard it, something has happened.

The sound of movement draws his attention to the crack in the ground, and with a growl slowly growing in volume, he flares his wings to their full height and width, doubling his apparent size to look more intimidating and threatening to the incoming presences.

It is this sight that greets the Autobots emerging from the crack, and when they are faced with the Winglord's impressive and threatening display, the misunderstanding just worsens.

The Autobots already have weapons ready to attack, and the display just careens them over the edge. Thinking that they are avenging their dead CMO and protecting themselves from a murderous seeker, they unleash the first volley of attacks onto the Winglord.

The full force of Ironhide's dual cannons is the first to slam into the large frame, hitting dead center in Thundercracker's chest, forcing him to stagger and take a step back to support his frame against the power of the onslaught.

The next volley is armor-penetrating bullets, the projectiles pinging in rivulets against his dense armor plating. The continued salvos connect with the weakened spots and leave dents, cracking the surface with their continued onslaught until he turns his back to them and faces them with the resilient back of his wings.

Another blast from Ironhide's cannons causes him to collapse to the ground, kneeling and trying to remain stable. He roars through the searing pain from his wings as the potent energy is absorbed into his frame.

It might not damage him that much, but his sensors are screaming their pain to him, and his wings tremble under the continued bullet attack.

He is distantly aware of Starscream screaming something, but he is so focused on his processor that he can't sense Skywarp's or Starscream's whereabouts, and he can feel how the uncertainty fiercely stirs his awakening protective coding.

He can't let it activate.

He can't!

He is going to slaughter the very beings he has vowed to protect if it does.

Then he senses Starscream at his back and he dares to glance over his shoulder to see what the submissive is doing.

He shouldn't be there!

Thundercracker, with his stronger frame, can take the onslaught, Starscream can't.

/Go! Get away from here, Starscream!/ he growls, voice strained by pain.

Starscream ignores the order, defiantly standing in front of his dominant as a shield, and Thundercracker watches incredulously as Starscream spreads his arms wide, baring the most vulnerable areas on his frame to the incoming attack as if thinking he will be able to deflect the onslaught of the attacks by his sheer presence alone.

A few of the attacks hit home, almost dead center in Starscream's chest, and Thundercracker can feel a faint surge of pain in his spark as Starscream takes damage, but he can't do anything for his submissive if he is to prevent himself from passing over the deadly edge and allowing himself to be controlled by the coding.

/Get out of there,/ he grits out through the pain in his frame, trembling violently. It is becoming harder and harder to keep himself in check.

/No!/ Starscream answers, stubbornly taking another hit for his dominant, this time to his wings.

But then it stops.

Sky Above, it stops.

And suffocating silence rings in the aftermath.

The sound of a frame collapsing to the ground is almost deafening in the silence, and Thundercracker turns around to see Starscream curling in on himself in a pool of his own energon, his wings trembling with obvious pain. Their vulnerable surface is covered in countless tiny wounds.

::Starscream…?:: he asks, voice full of deep worry. His immediate fear drowns out the coding and allows him a moment's pause as he tries to get any answer from his tricolored mate.

::I'm… going to be… okay. Just go! Burn it off. They didn't want to hurt me – any of us – not truly. We will be okay. Right now you are the greatest danger to us. Go! Sort it out in the sky. Just…don't unleash your rage on them,:: Starscream answers, whimpering slightly when he moves to look up at Thundercracker. Energon bleeds from a wound at his right temple and drips down into his optics coloring their sparkling yellow a dull brown.

Skywarp rematerializes a safe distance away from them and stares warily at the Autobots before turning his attention to Thundercracker, his wings twitching nervously. It is obvious that he itches to tend to Starscream's injuries, but is hesitant as long as Thundercracker remains within reach of any of them, and Thundercracker knows that Skywarp is waiting for the reaction he knows is going to come from the dominant's protective coding.

::It's okay, Sky,:: Thundercracker tries to soothe, before kneeling beside Starscream and caressing the trembling white wings. The tricolored submissive whimpers in pain at the touch, and Thundercracker can feel the inevitable happen. Finally giving in to the protective coding, he rises and nods to Skywarp, before he launches rapidly into the air and blasts away at high speed, his engines a deafening roar.

The Autobots cower at the sound and feeling of the devastating sonic boom Thundercracker unleashes as he flies away, but Skywarp and Starscream stare, relieved, at the departing figure of their dominant.

Then Starscream begins to cough and Skywarp diverts his attention back to him, running to where he is curled into a ball on the ground and instantly begins to assess the extent of damage done to Starscream's frame.

/Frag it, Starscream. Why did you have to do this?/ Skywarp growls, noticing the wound at the shoulder joint where the plating has been stripped almost completely to reveal the circuitry beneath. If that hit had been dead on… He shudders at the thought of how fatal the wound could have been, and is thankful that Thundercracker didn't see it. If he had, then nothing Starscream could say or do would have saved the grounders from their fate.

/I couldn't let him kill them. I wanted them to stop,/ Starscream answers, wincing when Skywarp digs claws into the wound and begins to open it so that he can work with the nanites properly.

/He didn't kill them. I have never seen him manage to suppress the protective coding and the crazed madness it causes. It makes me wonder what is going on./ Skywarp muses thoughtfully, coughing up the nanites and beginning his work on the wound.

/I want to know why the Autobots panicked like this,/ Starscream contemplates, lifting his helm to look at the group of Autobots standing a distance away. Optimus is nowhere to be seen and he frowns. /Where did you take Ratchet by the way?/ he asks, his attention returning to Skywarp.

/Up there./ Skywarp gestures with his helm to the volcano, where Starscream can just barely discern the red and white color scheme of his creator. /I will take you up there when I am done with you. He is still pretty freaked out and I couldn't get him to calm down,/ Skywarp adds in apology before returning his full attention to Starscream's wounds again.

Starscream rises from the ground a few breems later when Skywarp has done what he can to the wounds, and he turns to face the Autobots with a rare expression of fury.

"Do you even know what you have done with your utter stupidity!?" he roars, thoroughly enraged.

Optimus choses that moment to emerge from the crack, a scowling Sunstreaker following. The Autobot leader remains silent in the back of the group, not drawing any attention to his arrival. Instead he stares at Starscream, apology clear in his blue optics; the attack hadn't been sanctioned by him.

Sunstreaker remains beside the Prime, scowling menacingly as he crosses his arms over his chest and glares around at his comrades while Starscream continues ranting, telling them how foolish their actions had been and how suicidal they must be to attack Thundercracker.

The yellow frontliner knows that Thundercracker never would hurt Ratchet. He saved Sideswipe, and that is enough for Sunstreaker to change his attitude towards the Winglord.

"Right now, he is up there burning off coding that would otherwise have forced him to slaughter you all for this foolish endeavor. I have never before seen any dominant manage to suppress it like he did, so he truly didn't want any hurt to come to you, even if you attacked him and threatened Skywarp, Ratchet and me by doing so. It is completely unheard of! You should by all means be dead right now!" Starscream finishes, yelling, and the intensity of his words are intensified by the tears falling from his optics at the thought of them all dying because of their foolishness.

It is an unbearable thought, and he sags when Skywarp hugs him before teleporting them away, leaving the stunned Autobots alone to think about their actions.

"Ratchet?" First Aid mutters, stunned, optics glazed over as he stares at the purple mist where Starscream had been just a moment before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	12. Chapter 12

They don't get much time to think about what they have done.

Within breems, they get the first sign of what Starscream meant about Thundercracker burning off coding, and in the following cycles they are forced to passively watch what they have unleashed by their actions, unable to do anything to stop it.

"Prime! A message from Russia. Thundercracker has just attacked a squadron of their fighter jets during one of their training sessions. No survivors," Perceptor calls from where he is perched in front of Teletraan 1, watching several live feeds of the merciless attacks from the Winglord all around the planet.

The Autobots survived their encounter with Thundercracker. The humans aren't that lucky.

Starscream is still isolating himself together with Skywarp at the top of the volcano, and if they heard right, Ratchet is with them as well. Any attempt to reach the CMO has failed. No communication seems possible, and every time they try to venture up the mountain, Skywarp pops into existence and with a threatening display forces them to back down.

It has been several cycles since Thundercracker took off, and the Winglord is leaving a trail of destruction in his wake as he circles the planet. No country has been spared a visit. Live feeds of the burning husks of planes are spreading like a wildfire on the internet, causing global panic among the civilian population.

And the only ones to blame for the catastrophe are his Autobots.

And himself.

This wouldn't have happened if he had managed to take control of the panic among his crew.

"A call from the President." Perceptor's voice breaks into his thoughts, and he turns to look at the large screen.

"The UN is demanding action. You can't allow this beast to roam free without penalty, Prime! I thought you were in control of that thing!" the President snaps, cutting straight to the issue the instant he emerges on the screen, facial features hardened, a steely glint in his grey eyes.

"Control Thundercracker?" someone whispers incredulously in the background, and Optimus waves for silence.

"I am afraid I am out of options in this matter, Mr. President. Thundercracker is a different species from us and the leader of his people. He is a powerful adversary. On Cybertron, they basically prey on our kind. We can't do anything to stop him. We will have to wait this out. I am sorry." He answers honestly, his apology layered with the pain of all the human lives lost to this initial misunderstanding.

"There is honestly nothing you can do?" the human leader asks, incredulous, fidgeting uneasily at the knowledge that even their powerful foreign allies are powerless to stop the lone being currently attacking and laying waste to cities all over the planet.

"Anything we try will just send him into an even greater frenzy, with the complete loss of all my crew as result. We can't intercept him in any way. All you can do is keep flight traffic to a minimum and sit this out. I assure you, he will cease this at some point, when, however, I am unable to tell you," Optimus answers with a deep sigh and shake of his helm.

"Very well. I will make a statement and inform the other countries," the President answers, and with a solemn nod from the human, the call is cut, the screen returning to show the several live feeds from around the planet once again.

First Aid's words from a few orns back are true. Thundercracker is able to lay waste to a large part of this planet if provoked, and right now he is dangerous, but not on a rampage to destroy everything around him. They need to keep him as placated as possible until the coding affecting him is burnt off.

It is this knowledge Optimus would have preferred to talk to Starscream about.

What can they expect?

But it is impossible with Skywarp this openly hostile to anyone closing in on the resting area at the top of the volcano. It is obvious that he is protecting Starscream and the seekerling in Thundercracker's absence.

"Prime! An Airbus 330 over France. It managed to initiate emergency landing when Thundercracker sliced up its right wing. However, its front wheel broke in the landing and there are casualties," Perceptor informs as the new data arrives, and the whispers in the room silence for a moment as everyone present stares at the screen and the ongoing rescue of the survivors from the harsh emergency landing.

The right wing is almost torn completely off of the plane, and most of the damage is clearly not from the emergency landing.

"Where is he now?" At least Thundercracker hasn't bothered to shield his spark-signature, and they can follow his route to France's coastline and over the Atlantic Ocean towards American soil.

Is he returning?

Is the nightmare over?

None of them dare hope.

The attacks just keep ticking in when the Winglord enters U.S. airspace. Thundercracker is merciless, and the few planes still in the air stand no chance. He is onto them in an instant, the feeble panicked attempts to avoid the inevitable futile against the seeker's superiority.

The live feed of a Boeing 747 exploding in the air when it is hit by a bolt of laser fire shakes them all to their very sparks, and they just stand there, completely frozen, as the remains of the plane descend in a burning inferno.

So many lives lost, in just one simple move from the Winglord.

Many of them share glances, wanting to wake up from this nightmare to the Thundercracker they have come to know as domestic and protective and sane. Not this demonic version of him.

Even Sunstreaker is wavering in his belief in Thundercracker as he stares at the growing list of casualties.

Coding, Starscream had said.

He glances one last time at the screen before he turns to leave, heading towards the medbay and his brother. First Aid thinks Sideswipe is going to wake up soon, and he wants to be by his twin's side, no matter what chaos the world around him suffers.

Sideswipe deserves that reassurance.

And he will be sure to ask about Thundercracker.

He stops for a moment, hesitating at the sudden realization. What is he going to tell his brother? That his hero has turned into a ruthless villain?

It is going to crush Sideswipe completely.

He needs to have that talk with Thundercracker, but so far he has been too worried about Sideswipe to seek out the blue seeker. Now he needs the talk even more to keep his faith in the Winglord and be reassured that Thundercracker is still Starscream's caring mate.

With a frustrated snarl at the troublesome feelings this crisis causes inside him, he tries to suppress the shiver running down his spinal strut and begins to move again, almost running towards the medbay and his brother, desperate to have something else on his mind.

First Aid looks up when the yellow twin barges into the medbay.

"Have they heard anything from Ratchet?" he asks, nervously, walking over to the berth where Sunstreaker takes the usual spot beside Sideswipe.

"No. Hound says Skywarp still guards the volcano fiercely. There's no reaction at all from Starscream. He's tried to yell to get his attention, or Ratchet's attention, but without any response," Sunstreaker answers, not even looking away from Sideswipe.

There are some small minute trembles now and then, and he can feel how the bond is slowly coming more and more alive. It is still far from what it used to be, but he can begin to sense his brother again, and it eases some of his worry.

"I am sure we are going to see him awake within the next few hours," First Aid reassures as he studies the monitors and the growing parameters. The red frontliner is showing increased processor activity, stronger and growing spark pulse, increased flow of energon in the frame, and sufficient cooling.

So far, it looks like Sideswipe is going to make a full recovery without any lingering damage from his close brush with death.

"I can't wait to have his troublesome and exuberant personality back. With Ratchet healthy and hopefully soon back among us, I'm sure everything is going to turn out alright for all of us," First Aid adds with a small smile. Then, with a comforting pat on Sunstreaker's shoulder, he returns to the sink and his work.

* * *

The attacks on the planet carry on for cycles before Thundercracker finally returns to the volcano, and by then, humanity is thoroughly terrified. Global casualties are in the millions, while the physical destruction is impossible to measure.

What they hadn't foreseen was that when they suspended the air traffic all over the planet, Thundercracker turned his attention onto the surface of the planet and began to simply level whole areas, completely careless as to whether he attacked nuclear facilities, factories, hospitals or any other delicate buildings.

That is why the casualties are as high as they are, and also why almost every city-skyline all over the United States of America shows billowing smoke from ruined skyscrapers.

Absolutely nothing escaped the wrath of the Winglord.

Only the Empire State building was spared, and only in the very last klik before impact.

They had all watched in horror as the iconic building in the center of New York became Thundercracker's next unfortunate target, only to be spared when he suddenly veered violently, zigzagging haphazardly between the city-skyline surrounding the iconic building without causing any damage in the process.

That had been the first indication that something had changed, and a small inkling of hope had dared worm its way into their sparks.

They had held their breath as they watched the startling air show of Thundercracker almost flirting with the buildings, coming close enough for a human to reach out and almost touch the plating of the tetrajet, yet far enough from the structures to do nothing more than rattle the structures by the sheer force of his passing.

Just one miscalculation and he would have careened into one of the buildings, raining destruction down onto the ground far below and the passing, fleeing, humans panicking at the sight of the runaway seeker.

Ever since that stunt show, the destruction had dwindled to almost nothing and any further loss of lives has diminished drastically as well. They all breathe a collective sigh of relief when their tracking finally shows Thundercracker banking and leading a direction towards Mount St Helens.

And they relax even more so when the proximity sensors surrounding the volcano finally alert them to the incoming seeker.

The calamity is over, or so it at least seems.

Hound lifts his helm from where he is leaning against the boulders making up the bottom of the volcano at the sound of the approaching jet engines.

Thundercracker comes in low and begins to circle the mountain several times, dipping in altitude before he enters a steep climb and is greeted by his mates in the air above the volcano.

Skywarp teleports into the air beside him and hovers there for precious kliks before transforming into his tetrajet and joyously following Thundercracker's every move. Starscream somersaults off of the highest precipice of the volcano and transforms before blasting rapidly towards his mates, determined to not be left out of their joyful reunion.

Hound frowns disapprovingly at the sight of the happy display between the three seekers.

Humanity lies in ruins and Starscream isn't mourning the losses around the planet. Instead, he is dancing flirtingly around the Winglord as if he doesn't care in the least about the world around him.

He can't believe his own optics at the obvious change in his adopted creation.

What has become of his little peace-loving seeker? The one that Ratchet told him cried when he downed a human plane and first later realized that it wasn't a seeker, but steered by the tiny organics?

He begins to tremble, and is unable to keep looking at the three seekers in their joyful flight.

It is so wrong.

With a last glance up at the seekers, he watches as Thundercracker finally herds his mates back to the resting area atop the volcano, the last rays of the sun bathing them in its gentleness and illuminating their pristine plating in a stunningly beautiful inferno. The white on Starscream's frame is ablaze in liquid fire, and Hound would have marveled in the sight, if not for the grim realization that Starscream is no longer his little innocent seeker.

A glint of red and white atop the volcano catches his optics and he tries to adjust his sight to better see the frame, but he is too far away, the angle wrong and the light too bright in his optics to clearly discern it. However, it can only be Ratchet.

At least it looks like Thundercracker is back to his usual imposing self, and that is at least a good thing. With that knowledge in mind, he descends down the crack and into the spaceship to report his findings to Optimus and hopefully get further knowledge about when Ratchet will be joining them.

* * *

Ratchet looks up when Thundercracker lands, the ground beneath his frame rattling with the power of the thrusters touching down. Blue optics meet yellow, and he is frozen in place as Thundercracker takes the few steps separating them on the precipice.

He can feel his spark pulse faster as he looks up, straining his neck to keep the optic contact as the dominant seeker comes closer.

Then, much to his surprise and Starscream and Skywarp's shock, Thundercracker collapses to his knees in front of them, and the resting area shakes violently as the large frame connects with the ground. Thundercracker sways dangerously, claws reaching towards him in an almost begging manner, while emitting a beautiful trill. He stares mesmerized at the sight, unable to believe this show of weakness from the powerful seeker.

What is going on?

"Ratchet, he is asking you to feed him," Starscream gently translates, kneeling beside the dominant to keep Thundercracker from collapsing completely.

"Why?" The question is the most pressing among the many rising in his processor.

He moves to begin a scan; his medical knowledge is begging him to examine the blue seeker, but Starscream stops him from initiating it.

"He has been airborne the last fifteen cycles and he didn't get the time to feed this morning. His frame has used up all its reserves to deal with the immediate damage to his frame while he flew, and he has used large amounts of energy to burn off the coding. I know that a few cubes of energon are going to set him straight, but his plea for you to feed him is also a show of trust. Take it," Starscream explains in a soft encouraging tone of voice.

The offer is a true sign of trust from Thundercracker.

The Winglord might spread his coding willingly among his people, but exclusively feeds from his submissives if he is in desperate need of fuel. Swiftstrike's offer to feed him, when Thundercracker had been depleted after the fights cementing his power among their people, had been an extremely rare occurrence, but the clan leader had recognized the desperate need, and back then Starscream had been unavailable, while Skywarp had been needed to provide the urgent repairs.

"But-…" Ratchet begins to protest weakly.

"Your newspark will not be in danger during this. You will have time to replenish your energy long before you reach dangerous levels." Starscream interrupts him, as if reading the protest right out of his mind.

That small reassurance does nothing for the panic in his spark. He still has the mindset of a grounder, and to be asked to feed a seeker from his own lines trigger every survival instinct inside him.

He should say no, he wants to say no, but the sight of Thundercracker looking this vulnerable and the sound of the stressed systems beneath the dense blue armor plating calls to something inside him.

Foreign instincts slowly take over and he doesn't think when he lifts his arm, or when his servo reaches forward, only hesitating for a klik before his digits gently caress along Thundercracker's sturdy jawline. The blue seeker's optics try to refocus, but are unable to do so, and it tells him that Thundercracker is slowly but steadily slipping away into stasis due to energy-depletion. To see the fearsome seeker this weak and vulnerable fills him with a strange need to help, and gathering his courage, he moves closer and lifts his other servo to soothingly caress along Thundercracker's left cheek.

Thundercracker's lips part slightly at the touch, showing the sharp tips of the fangs, and Ratchet shudders at the sight.

He is going to willingly allow those to pierce his plating?

To his shock, the thought doesn't just increase his fear, but also awakens a strange thrill within his spark, and the strange need within him intensifies. His frame begins to heat up and his valve lubricates in response, preparing him for the intimate interaction the act of sharing energy is, since non-emergent energy sharing usually results in mating between the participants.

Curiosity and the strange feeling of the situation getting the better of him, he carefully touches a digit to the tip of one of the fangs, and withdraws it when the slightest pressure is enough to pierce his plating and draw tiny droplets of energon.

Thundercracker purrs as the faint scent of the submissive's rising arousal fills the air around them with its unique scent. His systems are bursting with several kinds of need, and licking his fang, he adds the taste of Ratchet's energon into the mix of his own rising arousal, but otherwise remains unmoving.

"How-… Where?" Ratchet asks Starscream dizzily, optics almost hypnotized in their fixation on Thundercracker.

"Wrist. Or your neck. What you feel most comfortable with. Though, the neck is mostly used between mates. More trust between the two engaging in this act," Starscream answers, stroking along Ratchet's right wrist and the left side of his neck.

He shivers at the feeling of Starscream's claws and at the sight of how Thundercracker's optics seems to follow the touch to his frame, staring hungrily at the suggested lines Starscream almost presents for the blue seeker to strike for.

"I-…"

No.

No!

He shakes his helm, trying to clear it.

"Give in to him, Ratchet. He isn't going to hurt you. This is completely normal among our people when someone is this energy-depleted," Starscream whispers into his audio, and Ratchet begins to shake, his wings vibrating, trembling with want and need and fear and-…

Our people.

He stutters, gasping in surprise when the two words mercilessly slam into his processor.

He isn't a grounder anymore.

"I-…" He stutters in a last attempt to protest, but he is at the end of his rope.

His optics offline in defeat and he takes a long deep breath before onlining them again.

"Yes," he whispers, the word so faint that only the seekers' sensitive audios are able to hear it. He lowers his helm in acceptance of his defeat, unaware of the glint briefly flashing in Thundercracker's optics at the sight of his first true sign of submission.

Starscream notices it and, sensing Thundercracker's fiery arousal, he is certain that only energy-depleted systems are what keeps the dominant from claiming Ratchet right then and there. His creator triggers all the right reactions within Thundercracker with his behavior, and it fills him with relief. It means that Ratchet is going to survive among their people.

"Relax, Ratchet. He isn't going to hurt you, not much at least," he soothes, crooning.

Ratchet's breath stutters at Starscream's last words, fear and a feeling of betrayal filling him. He is about to lift his helm to turn and stare angrily at Starscream for the betrayal of his trust, but Thundercracker is moving and he is forced to lie down beneath the blue seeker's heavy frame.

"Offer yourself to him, Ratchet. Be the one to choose," Starscream warns when all Ratchet does is stare with wide optics at Thundercracker, not moving to offer either wrist or neck to the blue seeker.

Wrist or neck.

What to choose?

What to choose!

Refusing to offer his neck to the blue seeker, he lifts a trembling servo up towards Thundercracker and offlines his optics, unwilling to watch as the deadly fangs sink into his plating, or the flow of his energon into the large predator's mouth.

Anticipating the painful penetration of the fangs, he is completely unprepared for the soft lips sensually ghosting along his plating as they gently nibble at the areas with the densest clusters of energon lines beneath the armor. A moan is wrought from his vocalizer, and he onlines his optics again in surprise, realizing that this isn't a predator about to drain him dry.

Staring at the blue seeker's display, he realizes that this is Thundercracker flirting with him, and to his horror, his frame responds to the gentle erotic touch of the lips, heating him up further. When Thundercracker's fangs finally penetrate his armor, he shivers in a rush of intense pleasure, the pain not even registering as the drain on his frame begins.

Primus, this is unbelievable.

Time stretches on into an eternity and he isn't aware of for how long Thundercracker is draining him. The soft swipe of the blue seeker's glossa against the wounds in his wrist calms him as kliks turn to breems, and he groans at every gentle touch, willingly allowing his energon to flow into Thundercracker's mouth and into starving systems.

Dizzy with increasing fatigue, he trusts Thundercracker to stop when he can't take anymore.

Another breem passes before Thundercracker finally stops the drain, fangs slowly withdrawing from the tiny wounds. The haze of pleasure slowly fades and Ratchet dizzily monitors his energon levels. They are barely hovering above critical 67%, and he can feel how the drain on his frame is making him more and more groggy as the extent of the loss slowly registers in his systems.

He fights to stay online, and is only distantly aware of Thundercracker coughing. In his processor-addled state, he frowns at the sound, hissing viciously when something wet is applied to the tiny but deep wounds in his wrist. He begins to doze off when the pain is soothed a moment later, optics blurring and slowly offlining. With his awareness slowly slipping, the last thing he is aware of before offlining is the gentle touch of lips against his own and the feeling of fangs carefully pressing against his plating, followed by the strange tangy taste of energon. Then he succumbs to recharge, his systems too shocked by the loss of energon to remain online.

Only a few breems pass before he regains consciousness again, and he onlines his optics to stare up into smoldering yellow optics. Thundercracker is obviously reenergized, and Ratchet fills with dread when he realizes that the dominant seeker is resting most of the weight onto his smaller frame, the heat pouring off of Thundercracker showing the blue seeker's intent.

No.

No more.

He doesn't have the energy for more, and especially not that.

He lifts his arms and pushes weakly against the heavy frame on top of him, sobbing in relief when Thundercracker heeds his unvoiced wish and moves off of his frame, no longer trapping him.

Instead, Thundercracker embraces him with a soft soothing croon when he curls into a ball, shivering from fatigue and conflicting feelings, and he welcomes the offered protection, seeking a ward against the world around him. The day has been too eventful, and it pains him to think about everything that has happened. In contrast to his inner turmoil, the feeling of the powerful, but laborious systems at his back is lulling, and as he slowly drifts into a sense of calm, it takes a moment for him to realize that Starscream is kneeling in front of him with an energon cube.

Thundercracker shuffles slightly at his back and he looks over his shoulder to see Skywarp offer the blue seeker a cube of energon. Returning his attention to Starscream, he gratefully accepts the offered fuel and allows Starscream to tip the cube against his lips.

"Relax and enter recharge. We can talk about what happened today tomorrow," Starscream adds with a small smile when the cube is empty.

Ratchet sighs, satisfied when his fuel levels have been restored, and snuggles into the frame at his back while Starscream curls around him at his front. The last thing he sees before recharge claims him are his creation's affectionate yellow optics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	13. Chapter 13

_Sideswipe looks at the surroundings materializing around him._

_Huh?_

_Where is he?_

_And why is everything this dull grey?_

_Seriously, if he had any say he would suggest that the owner of this place to add in some more colors. Like red or yellow. Even blue would lighten up this place._

_Blue like Thundercracker's, or Starscream's for that matter._

_Just not this boring grey._

_Speaking of…_

_Is that a seeker?_

_He stares as translucent light breaks through the grey dullness, the shape of wings standing out, but then everything just blanks out at the feeling of an intense suffocating grip on him, and he distantly hears a voice before he fades into a new nothingness completely different from the grey surroundings._

" _Not yet, little one."_

Systems reboot and with a jolt he rolls off of the berth, poised and ready to defend himself against an unseen enemy.

Huh?

Where are the Decepticons?

Where is he?

What happened?

With a frantically pulsing spark, Sideswipe looks around. The feeling of the suffocating grip on his spark still lingers, and he breathes heavily, wary of his surroundings. Slowly they morph into familiar contours, and he stares around at the insides of the Ark's empty medbay.

Oh, that's right, he got damaged.

Vague memories from the battle return to him, and glimpses of the large Decepticon with the horrible weapon ready to cleave him resurface. He remembers the intense mind numbing pain when it hit him in the midsection and how everything afterwards became a blur.

Then he smiles when the magnificent winged figure shows up in his memories. Thundercracker came to help them! He had been right, and Sunny had been wrong, about the blue seeker. The Winglord is on their side. Why else would Thundercracker show up and defend them?

"Sunny!" he exclaims, suddenly remembering his twin, and throws the bond wide open only to sense his brother in deep recharge. His insistent prodding doesn't do anything other than cause Sunstreaker to slam the bond shut and for a moment he feels offended.

He scoffs.

::Thank you so much, Sunny. Here I am worrying about you and then you just shut me out,:: he scolds and pushes against the shut bond, stubbornly working tendrils through tiny cracks and into Sunstreaker's distant awareness.

::I'm 'charging, Sides. Don't bother me,:: Sunstreaker grumbles over the bond as it opens slightly in his recharge-addled state.

Sideswipe just keeps prodding and poking, smiling as he feels how Sunstreaker surfaces more and more in annoyance until…

::SIDES! LEAVE ME ALONE!::

Then, ::Sideswipe?! You're…!::

Sideswipe laughs when he feels how the shock reverberate through the bond, and he senses the flurry at which Sunstreaker is moving.

He hears the pounding of footsteps not long after and the door into the medbay is slammed open.

There in the doorway stands a disgruntled, deeply shocked, Sunstreaker, optics impossibly wide as he just stares at the red frame lazily standing in the middle of the large room.

"Sides…"

"Hiya, Sunny," Sideswipe greets with a playful waggle of his right servo, a wide smile on his lips.

"Don't call me that!" Sunstreaker scowls, but he is unable to keep up the angry indifferent façade. His expression cracks into a tiny smile when his brother haughtily poses with servos on hips and pouts.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Sideswipe asks, his pout becoming even more protruding and pathetic.

"No. It's been so blessedly silent during you recovery," Sunstreaker replies, sounding bored.

"Oh, I know you've missed me, Sunshine. You just don't want to admit it." Sideswipe smirks knowingly.

"Don't call me that either!" Sunstreaker growls, annoyed, but then he just gives up on the façade and mirrors Sideswipe's smirk as he charges at his brother.

"Of course I've missed you, bolt brain. No fun around without you. Even First Aid admitted to it. They've all missed your craziness," he admits, smirk growing.

"I knew it!" Sideswipe whoops before he is slammed to the ground, Sunstreaker pummeling him playfully.

Their brawl drags the monitors still connected to Sideswipe by wires and tubing down with them, and loud crashes sound when the equipment hits the floor and shatters, shrapnel flying all around the two frames as they roll around, both trying to get the upper hand in the playful fight.

A breem later, Sideswipe admits defeat with spark-felt laughter when Sunstreaker manages to pin him down with his frame, straddling the red hips and holding his brother down at the shoulders.

Sunstreaker silently revels in the sound of the laughter and allows the feeling of completeness in the bond to momentarily overcome him. Then he releases his grip on Sideswipe and rolls over to lie on the floor beside him.

"So, what's happened while I've been gone?" Sideswipe asks curiously, completely content as he lies spread-eagle on the floor among the debris from the monitors. Panting from the playful fight, he soaks in the amazing feeling of being alive.

His frame is sore from some hard blows from Sunstreaker, but the pain is just telling him that this is real, that he truly is alive and did survive his encounter with the Decepticon.

That Thundercracker really did save him.

He needs to thank the blue seeker for that, and for Sunny's life as well.

Sunstreaker stares silently up at the ceiling, thinking, and he is sure that Sideswipe can feel some of the turbulent feelings raging inside him.

Where does he start?

There is a lot that's happened, and a great deal of it isn't something he wants to tell his brother, but he knows that Sideswipe won't leave him alone until he has told him everything he knows.

"Ratchet is back," he begins to explain, while thinking about how that fact led to so much chaos and destruction later on. They haven't seen Ratchet yet and doesn't know if the CMO in fact is well and healthy, but he has the feeling that Ratchet is going to come down and see them all soon enough.

"That's amazing!" Sideswipe exclaims, turning to lie onto his side. He stares with sparkling expectant optics at Sunstreaker, silently demanding further explanations. "I thought First Aid wasn't able to cure him of the disease. What happened?" he adds after a brief moment of silence, eager to know.

"He wasn't and he didn't. We still don't know how it happened, but Ratchet isn't laid up in the antechamber anymore. Actually, we haven't seen him at all. He's with the seekers at the moment and no one has been able to see or even talk to him," Sunstreaker explains solemnly.

"Huh? That's weird," Sideswipe mutters, but his happiness at having the CMO up and moving again can't be killed, even by that fact. They'll be seeing Ratchet soon, he is sure of it. Then he frowns. "Why is he staying with the seekers?" he asks.

"I don't know. We've tried to get in contact with him, but his comlink is malfunctioning and we can't just walk up there. All we know is that Thundercracker broke into the medbay the other night and took Ratchet with him. First Aid freaked out when he walked into the medbay and saw the ruined door into the antechamber, and then everyone panicked, thinking that Thundercracker had taken Ratchet to eat him," Sunstreaker scoffs disapprovingly.

"Duh, Thundercracker would never do something like that. I mean, he saved me, right? He is on our side. Surprise, surprise, Sunny, seekers do have good intentions towards us, I told you it was possible." Sideswipe answers, poking matter-of-factly at Sunstreaker to get his point across.

"I still don't know, Sides," Sunstreaker confesses with a deep frown. "I want to know why he did what he did at the battle site. I tell you, the way he looked at us, at me, I was sure he would have killed you, not saved you like he did. I still don't understand it, but you are right, so far it looks like he really is on our side in some wrong and wicked way. He isn't changed, is still that huge monster and I don't know how to react to this strange mercifulness coming from him. I simply don't know." He turns his helm to stare at Sideswipe, the bond full of his confused and contradicting feelings, most of them from the time he spent watching Thundercracker cause mayhem all over the planet.

How is he going to explain that to his brother without ruining Sideswipe's good mood? He hesitates before continuing, but then decides that there is no easy way to explain what happened afterward. Sideswipe is going to hear it from the others soon enough anyway.

"The others, they attacked him. They unleashed all their artillery on him when they found out Ratchet had been taken. I tried to talk sense into them, but they wouldn't listen and while I went to find Optimus to put a stop to them, they went up and attacked him," he explains in a voice showing all his desperation, recalling the event as he speaks and shuddering as he remembers Starscream's furious rant about how irresponsible they had been.

An irresponsibility that had led to the impossible number of deaths all over the planet – deaths he could have prevented from happening if only he had gotten Optimus faster and stopped his comrades from seeking revenge for a CMO, who it later turned out wasn't even dead.

He rarely feels guilt, but this time he feels that he could and should have done more, instead of wasting precious time trying to argue with his panicking comrades. He should have warned Optimus faster or warned Thundercracker.

"T-they attacked him?! Are they insane?!" Sideswipe stutters, disbelief and fear intermingling, and he rises abruptly to run out of the medbay.

Sunstreaker follows him to his feet and grabs hold of a red arm to stop him from leaving. He can feel the bond fill with sudden worry and it takes a moment for him to realize that it isn't worry for their comrades, but for Thundercracker.

He almost laughs at the comical side of it all.

For frag's sake, the Winglord is almost indestructible.

"I-is he okay?" At that Sunstreaker finally gives in, and he laughs at the deep concern in his brother's voice.

Only Sideswipe. Only Sideswipe.

"Yes, stupid. He's a seeker, for frag's sake! Even their combined artillery only did superficial damage to him. The only one who took damage was Starscream when he went into the line of fire to stop them from attacking any further," he answers, and his laughter dies down, the seriousness of the matter easily killing any mirth he might feel.

"They shot Star?! They're insane!" Sideswipe utters incredulously, horrified at the thought of their friend suffering damage.

"They did, but they did stop after having hit him a few times. Then Skywarp appeared and Thundercracker took off. I don't know how to tell you this, but Thundercracker-…" Sunstreaker hesitates, looking into his brother's worried optics, feeling the hurt and anger already coming from Sideswipe in the bond.

"He didn't kill them?" Sideswipe asks nervously. Even if he is angry at his comrades for attacking the Winglord, he still worries about them. Thundercracker is powerful and not to be messed with. Even he knows that, despite forgetting it now and then.

Fawning over the blue seeker as Sunstreaker says he does.

"No, he didn't. Instead he took off to burn off some kind of coding the attack on him activated. It was a nightmare, Sides. He attacked the humans for more than fifteen cycles, razed their cities, downed their planes and mercilessly killed them before returning again. The loss of life is extreme, the destruction even worse. I am so sorry, Sideswipe, but he became the evil murderous monster we know from the war back on Cybertron," Sunstreaker apologizes, seeing the hurt in his brother's optics as well as the tears threatening to fall as he speaks about the horrors Thundercracker unleashed upon the organics living on the planet.

"He wouldn't… You're lying. He can't be like that. He is on our side. Why would he do such a thing?" Sideswipe sobs in disbelief. The first tear falls from his optics and is instantly followed by the next until the tears are running in a steady stream from optics showing so much pain and disbelief.

"I am sorry, Sideswipe, but he did, and no, I am not lying to you. I would never lie to you about something this serious. I know you like him, but he is a seeker and we know how dangerous and unpredictable the seekers are," Sunstreaker explains as he hugs the trembling red frame fiercely to try and offer comfort.

He isn't good at giving comfort, is usually too harsh, but in this he understands his brother's pain and, combined with his own guilt, he is for once able to offer the comfort that Sideswipe needs to get through this shock.

"Star isn't like that, and he is a seeker," Sideswipe answers with a sniff while sobbing.

"Star has changed, it might not be too obvious, but he has," Sunstreaker murmurs in a voice mirroring Sideswipe's sadness.

"I won't accept it, Sunny. You can say what you want, but Thundercracker isn't like that, and I am going to show you that I'm right." Sideswipe stubbornly refuses to accept his brother's words. He forcibly removes the arms embracing him, and before Sunstreaker manages to stop him, he is out of the medbay in a full-out run towards the exit.

"Frag it, Sideswipe, get back here! Don't do this!" Sunstreaker curses, sprinting after him.

Sideswipe is going to get himself killed.

It is impossible to know how Thundercracker is going to react if Sideswipe just barges up the volcano.

It is pure suicide, but he can't let his brother head into it alone. He can feel how determined Sideswipe is to confront Thundercracker and show him how wrong his perspective of the Winglord is, even if it is going to get them killed in the process.

::You're going to get us both killed, Sides!:: he protests in frustration as he runs down the corridor and to the exit, in hot pursuit of his twin.

::No!:: The word is full of all the faith Sideswipe has in Thundercracker, and shows his naivety. Sunstreaker just feels like pummeling some sense into his brother, but to do that he needs to catch him first and Sideswipe is far ahead of him.

When he steps outside the spaceship, Sideswipe is already way up along the slopes leading to the surface, and the only way for him to intercept him is to transform and blast up the slopes in altmode. However, it is a dangerous move and it is going to destabilize the narrow road.

He doesn't want to risk hurting Sideswipe unnecessarily and resigns to slowly move along the slopes on his feet.

Seriously, if Thundercracker doesn't kill them, he is definitely going to kill his brother for this stunt!

Sideswipe is gone when Sunstreaker emerges from the crack a breem later, his brother's altmode speeding rapidly towards the volcano and the small road they have carved into the side of it, leading to the top of the volcano. With the seekers occupying the volcano, the road isn't used and boulders and debris litter the usually tidy road up the mountain.

He transforms with a growl, revving his engine angrily, and speeds away, determined to at least catch up to Sideswipe before his brother begins the dangerous trip up the volcano. Dangerous in more than one way; the boulder strewn road is the least of their worries.

He keeps his sensors alert to the sky above them as he feeds his engine more fuel, aware that it is impossible for Thundercracker to not have heard them by now.

It is only a matter of time before an attack occurs.

The night is silent except for the sound from their engines, but Thundercracker doesn't need to engage his thrusters with how high the volcano is and can silently prepare a gliding sneak attack on them that they won't be prepared for. Yet again Sunstreaker curses Sideswipe's naivety.

Finally he catches up with his brother at where the road up the volcano begins. Sideswipe is standing and staring up into the steep darkness of the mountain.

"Took your time," Sideswipe grins when Sunstreaker transforms.

Is it too late to pummel some sense into his twin and drag him back down?

The sound from up above answers his question.

He lifts his helm, alerted by the tiny sound of rattling wings, and his sensors inform him about the large frame descending rapidly towards them.

"Duck!" he yells as he takes hold of Sideswipe and pulls him toward a large pile of boulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	14. Chapter 14

Thundercracker lands, sending a resounding shake through the ground, and lets out a tremendous roar of rage. They instinctually duck further down behind the boulders when the Winglord's fierce yellow optics slowly scrutinize the surroundings, while the seeker's olfactory sensor inhales deeply, scenting for them.

::See! See! He's going to kill us. Well done, Sideswipe, I hope you're happy now!:: Sunstreaker admonishes heatedly in growing panic as they watch Thundercracker turn around in a controlled circle. The large wings sweep and flicker, clearly searching for the intruders Thundercracker knows are there.

It is only a matter of time before he senses them and kills them.

::But-… He can't!:: Sideswipe protests and then, to Sunstreaker's horror, his brother steps clear of the boulders, facing Thundercracker directly. He can only watch as Sideswipe moves towards the blue seeker with open arms.

Sensing Sideswipe the instant the red twin steps clear of the boulders, Thundercracker turns around on the spot, another tremendous roar emerging from his vocalizer. The force of the sound shakes the whole area. Sunstreaker ducks further down behind the boulders when the reverberating sound crumbles the rocks surrounding his hideout and sends debris raining down on him.

Thundercracker's blazing yellow optics shine hellishly in the darkness as they zero in on the red grounder moving towards him.

"Hey there, Thundercracker," Sideswipe greets the seeker, unfazed by the threatening roar.

The large blue wings flicker at the sound of the red frontliner's voice and Thundercracker crouches down into an attack position, his wings menacingly spreading wider and higher on his back in an obvious warning to back-off.

Full of his naïve faith, Sideswipe completely ignores Thundercracker's threatening posture and takes a step closer to the large seeker instead of backing off. Sunstreaker's horror grows into true fear as he watches Thundercracker's response to his brother's naivety, and he is seriously contemplating to shoot Sideswipe then and there. It would be more merciful than what Thundercracker is going to do to them before they die.

Thundercracker responds to Sideswipe's careless dismissal of his threat with a threatening snarl and a rattling flare of the wings, which spreads them to their full wingspan. It is a breathtaking sight that more than doubles the Winglord's already impressive size, and Sunstreaker would have loved to relish in the sight of it, if not for the dire situation Sideswipe has put them in.

"You don't want to hurt me." Sideswipe continues to speak as he takes one more step towards the seeker, disregarding the danger he is putting himself in.

Thundercracker narrows his optics when another threatening display to make the grounder back off is carelessly dismissed, and releases a continuous dangerous growl, while his lips begins to quiver threateningly and show his menacing fangs.

Anyone sane would take this final display from Thundercracker as the threat it is and carefully back down, but not Sideswipe. He is so confident in his trust in the Winglord, that he ignores the countless warnings and steps closer, his arms still spread wide open as if he is offering himself up to Thundercracker.

::Don't do this, Sideswipe! For frag sake, he is about to attack. Back down!:: Sunstreaker roars in angered frustration, hiding his rising panic behind his anger. Tears of desperation begin to press in behind his optics as he stares at Thundercracker and notices the seeker's claws beginning to flex in preparation for an attack. He curses his own powerlessness in the situation, but what else can he do? Thundercracker is about to attack and his brother doesn't even care.

Completely disregarding Sunstreaker's plea, Sideswipe takes another step closer to the seeker and is now within reach of the deadly claws, should Thundercracker decide to strike.

"I know you won't hurt me. You saved me. You're the good guy. I trust you." Sideswipe's voice is as calm as ever, Thundercracker's threatening display not even causing him to waver the least in his faith.

And then the impossible happens.

With the next step from Sideswipe, Thundercracker takes one back and stares confusedly down at the red grounder as Sideswipe, despite the threatening displays, completely fearlessly faces off against him. The menacing and threatening growl silences and Thundercracker straightens, his height towering above Sideswipe as the frontliner takes the last few steps separating them and leans in against the powerful frame, resting his helm against the seeker's large cockpit.

It's…

It's completely insane.

Once again Sunstreaker doesn't know what to believe.

Thundercracker keeps surprising him. By all means, his brother should be dead right now, but he isn't.

::I told you he isn't going to hurt us.:: Sideswipe sounds confident and Sunstreaker stares in disbelief as Thundercracker slowly lowers his wings, almost as if in defeat. All aggression bleeds from the large blue frame and Thundercracker stares bemusedly down at the grounder hugging him around the waist.

::He can still turn violent.:: Sunstreaker reminds his brother, but he nonetheless steps free of the boulders and carefully draws Thundercracker's attention.

He stares into the yellow optics for only a few kliks, but it feels like a lifetime, and his spark pulses fearfully until Thundercracker tilts his helm in a way Sunstreaker only can describe as curious.

"Come on, Sunny. You have to feel him," Sideswipe encourages from where he is caressing his servos along the blue plating.

"You are insane, Sideswipe," he answers, but steps closer nevertheless.

He watches Thundercracker closely with every slow and careful step he takes, prepared to step back at any sign of threat from the Winglord, but nothing happens and before he knows it he is so close to the large seeker, that all he needs to do is reach forward with his servo to touch the blue plating.

He stares incredulously up into the yellow optics, swallowing hard when Thundercracker mercilessly fixates his gaze on him.

Most of the fierce fire in them is gone, replaced with a bemused curiosity that eases the growing fear in his spark.

If the Winglord is curious, then he isn't going to attack, right?

Gathering his courage, he slowly reaches a trembling servo towards the blue plating, and his optic contact with Thundercracker breaks at the feeling of the scorching hot plating beneath his digits.

Is he really doing this?

He stares incredulously at his own servo touching the powerful seeker.

He moves it slowly, feeling the smooth plating and the humming of systems beneath it. The thrumming coming from the large frame this close speaks volume about the power this seeker possesses and for a moment he is awestruck that he is allowed to feel this.

"Lean in," Sideswipe murmurs beside him and he turns his helm to stare at how his twin almost is trying to melt into the Winglord. "Do it, Sunny. He feels so nice. You have to feel it. It is amazing," his brother encourages eagerly.

He must be insane!

Thundercracker has yet to move one inch from where he is standing, and Sunstreaker idly wonders what the blue seeker must be thinking about them.

Definitely insane.

But he leans in and almost offlines his optics at the feelings and sensations filling his whole frame at the close contact.

Oh!

A soft sigh leaves him as he unconsciously mirrors the way Sideswipe tries to melt into Thundercracker.

This…

This is like the home they never got because of the war.

They remember very little from the time before Starscream found them and what they do remember is full of pain and hurt because of the war and the loss of their creators.

But the sensations filling him from Thundercracker are so soothing, so calming, so warming, so addicting... It is like coming home.

He never wants to let go.

But he has to.

Reluctantly, he moves away from the comforting frame, almost stumbling when the physical contact between them breaks, and it is only then, that he realizes that he is crying, tears running down his cheeks in rapid streams.

Touching a digit to his faceplates, he stares incredulously at the wet shine covering the surface, and the sight opens the floodgates completely. Mourning everything he has lost and the sparkling-hood they never really got, he collapses to the ground and sobs shamelessly in front of his brother and the seeker.

He feels so cold in his spark, the strange aura of the Winglord releasing its comforting grip on him, and he just cries louder at the loss, all the horrors of their lives returning in full force. For once he lets loose all the feelings that he usually doesn't allow anyone to see, not even his brother.

It all gangs up on him in that very moment, and Sideswipe and Thundercracker are completely forgotten as he drowns in misery and the deep empty feeling of loss within his spark.

Thundercracker chirrs bemusedly at the sight of the crying grounder, unable to understand what is wrong with it.

Then he feels a gentle encouraging pulse of energy from within the Winglord essence, and the next moment he is gently pushing Sideswipe aside before he kneels in front of Sunstreaker. His large blue wings move to shield the crying grounder in a comforting embrace, while one of his large claws reaches forward to impossibly gently draw away a running tear.

Sunstreaker's breath hitches at the touch to his cheek and he freezes. Tears are still trailing down his cheeks, but his frame is completely frozen, the shock of the touch paralyzing him. To have the large fearsome seeker touch him this gently with the dangerous claw only adds to the insanity of the whole situation.

He watches in deep shock as Thundercracker curiously studies the wet shine covering the tip of the claw, before the yellow optics refocus on him, and the sight that greets him in that fleeting moment when their optics meet startles him. He has never before seen such depth in a seeker's optics beside Starscream's.

The genuine care he recognizes in the depth of the yellow optics reassures him that, despite the violence committed earlier, Thundercracker is still the same and it further tells him that even if the Winglord is the nightmare of any Autobot and Decepticon, he isn't as cold, ruthless or evil as they all believe.

This new insight fills him with a strange sense of calm and he stares unafraid into the yellow optics as Thundercracker clearly studies him.

And then Sideswipe shatters the moment between them with his awestruck voice.

"Ho-ly Primus, Sunny. I think he is trying to soothe you," his brother exclaims excitedly and the utter insanity of the situation once again catches up with him. The feeling of loss returns and forces a tortured sound from his vocalizer before he breaks down completely.

Thundercracker's chirr of distress drowns in the sound of his crying, and Sideswipe is struck silent with shock at the sound of his brother giving in to his spark-deep misery.

He has never before experienced Sunstreaker broken like this.

"Sunny, what's wrong?" Sideswipe asks, worried, walking around the cocoon the blue wings create around his brother as he searches for a way in.

Finally, after a few breems of futilely searching for a way in, the wings begin to slowly unfurl and reveal his brother, and he waits desperately and impatiently for Thundercracker to release Sunstreaker.

However, Thundercracker has other plans.

Sideswipe is only given a brief glimpse of Sunstreaker before Thundercracker straightens, with his brother cradled protectively against the large cockpit, and fluidly takes off into the sky. And he can only stare powerlessly after them as the Winglord flies away with Sunstreaker. Soon Thundercracker is completely out of sight, vanishing into the darkness of the night, the faint glow from the powerful thrusters the only indication that the seeker and his brother still are up there.

Sunstreaker is slowly dragged out of his misery at the gentle feeling of the wind caressing his plating as Thundercracker swiftly carries him higher into the sky. The feeling of the powerful thrusters working to keep them airborne and the thrumming of the systems supporting them in their flight are strange sensations.

He can feel the minute changes Thundercracker makes and it awakens a thrill in his spark.

Sunstreaker is familiar with the sky, playing around with Sideswipe and using his parachute to defy death when he falls towards the ground from high above, but the feelings the seeker's flight instills in him are deeper and more intense.

It is the feeling of true freedom.

Then some of the giddiness fades, and he looks up and meets the yellow optics, unsure about what Thundercracker is planning to do with him. What he sees in them fills him with reassurance; the soothing aura filling him from the Winglord does the same.

No matter how crazy it seems, he feels safe and secure in the clutches of the large predator as Thundercracker soars higher and higher into the sky.

He relaxes in the strict but gentle hold on him and stares with a contented sigh up into the night sky and the millions of visible stars.

He could get used to this.

When Thundercracker lands at the top of the volcano a breem later, the trip feels too short, and he is not ready to let go of the soothing presence the Winglord exudes. He refuses to willingly leave the comforting embrace when Thundercracker kneels and gently releases the constricting hold on him, and he completely ignores the danger to himself as he stubbornly clings to the dangerous claws trying to remove him.

A soft coaxing tune from Thundercracker has him just shaking his helm fiercely, and he snuggles more firmly into the strong blue frame at his back.

He doesn't care that he is being completely ridiculous, he doesn't want to let go of the strange soothing feeling the Winglord fills him with at their close contact.

"Sunstreaker, you need to let him go," Starscream scolds with a smile in his voice as he moves to stand in front of Thundercracker.

"Sunstreaker?" Another presence moves into his line of sight, and Sunstreaker lifts his helm at the sound of Ratchet's unsure voice.

He has to offline and online his optics several times to be sure that what he sees is true.

Ratchet has wings.

What the frag?

In his shock at seeing the fanning wings on Ratchet's back, he lessens his grip on Thundercracker and the blue seeker gently brushes his digits away before lowering him to stand on the ground.

With a series of chirrs, trills and intonations, Thundercracker launches into the air again and blasts away.

"Thundercracker is bringing Sideswipe up to us, Sunstreaker. Now, can you tell me why you're out here risking your lives?" Starscream asks and crosses his arms over his cockpit, a stern look in his optics.

Sunstreaker sighs in exasperated frustration.

"I tried to stop him, but Sideswipe didn't want to listen to me. In all his naivety, he believes that Thundercracker is on our side and that he won't hurt him. I'm sorry, Starscream; I couldn't stop him before Thundercracker had already descended upon us." He apologizes, and Starscream's stern expression slowly eases at his explanation.

"I should have known that he'd cause trouble when he woke up. You're lucky that Thundercracker didn't go through with his intentions. This is the second night he's had a disturbed recharge cycle and it can make him a bit cranky and rash." Starscream chuckles good-naturedly.

"He is Sideswipe." Sunstreaker adds to Starscream's chuckle and smiles humorlessly at the deadly joke. Then he warily glances to Ratchet and the medic's changed frame.

"So, I guess this is why we haven't seen you yet?" he asks the CMO, bemused, unable to not stare at the wings. Granted, they are not as large as Starscream's or Thundercracker's, but they are there and they are impossible to ignore.

The medic laughs nervously and the wings on his back twitch in response.

"Yes, but it's mainly because I now have a Winglord I need to ask permission from." Ratchet explains, gesturing into the darkness of the night to where they can hear the sound of Thundercracker's thrusters.

"Another reason is that I don't know how the others are going to react to the sight of me. It isn't just the wings, Sunstreaker. My whole frame is changing, turning me into a seeker. When Thundercracker came to me something happened and I ended up carrying. I am going to have a creation of my own, born from my frame and mixed with Thundercracker's coding," he warily elaborates, wings lowering in a mix of confused feelings.

He looks away as he waits for Sunstreaker's reaction to his words, afraid of being rejected.

"You are going to have a young one, just like Starscream's?" Sunstreaker exclaims in surprise and turns to look at Starscream. The tricolored seeker nods in answer and withdraws his seekerling from the cockpit.

Hope blooms in Ratchet's spark at the light entering Sunstreaker's optics at the sight of the little seekerling in Starscream's servos, and he suddenly knows that the yellow frontliner isn't going to reject him.

"Yes." He answers Sunstreaker's question and smiles when the frontliner is unable to take the optics off of the adorable sight in Starscream's servos.

"All seekerlings, whether they turn into dominants or submissives, look like this during their first four vorns. They begin to gain colors when they mature into the seekerlet stage and their plating begins to harden, turning into some of the densest armor on Cybertron." Starscream explains at the sight of the curious look in Sunstreaker's optics. He gently nuzzles the seekerling's wings and it responds with a series of happy chirps at its carrier's playfulness.

"Can I hold it?" Sunstreaker asks in awe. In the darkness, the seekerling's spark shines clearly through its little frame and the tiny pulsing inside the translucent being marvels him. It draws his full attention and for a moment, he forgets everything else around him.

Starscream's optics turns distant for a moment and he stares into the darkness of the night at the sound of approaching thrusters before he returns his attention to Sunstreaker with a nod.

"Thundercracker has given his permission. Let me show you how to hold your servos to prevent it from wriggling free. It needs to feed soon, so don't panic if it begins to cry or complain loudly. All this activity is keeping it all too aware and curious," Starscream answers and gently lowers the seekerling into the frontliner's open servos. Sunstreaker instantly folds his servos around it to prevent it from wriggling free and stares fascinated at it.

Watching Sunstreaker marvel at the wonder of the seekerling in his servos, Ratchet is relieved that the twins are the first to discover the truth about him.

He still doesn't know how he is going to face the other Autobots.

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are, because of their close friendship with Starscream, the least prejudiced among the Autobots. The thought of having them by his side and on his side when he meets with the rest of the Autobots fills him with an reassurance that neither Starscream, nor Thundercracker can provide him at the moment of confrontation.

Hearing Sideswipe's loud whoop of joy as Thundercracker moves closer to the precipice just strengthens his belief in the two frontliners, and he chuckles silently at the clear delight the red twin finds in having Thundercracker act as taxi.

There is simply nothing that can throw them off, not the fact that he is changing, or that he is carrying. They might ask questions, but they won't reject him because of this.

He is overtaken by a flood of sentimental feelings, the stress of the day and the feelings he has suppressed surfacing in full force, and the next moment he is desperately hugging Sunstreaker against his frame as if the frontliner is a lifeline and he is drowning.

"You don't know how good it is to see you, Sunstreaker. Thundercracker might not be ecstatic, but I am so happy that you are here. I desperately need some support. Starscream is a source of strength in all this, and so are Thundercracker and Skywarp, but you and I both know how some of our comrades are going to react to this new me," he murmurs against the yellow frontliner's plating, while he tries to keep the tears threatening to fall at bay.

"We'll have your back, Ratchet. Don't worry." Sunstreaker reassures with fierce determination, and reciprocates the hug as much as he can with the wriggling seekerling in his servos.

"I know. And it eases my worry for the future to have you and Sideswipe with me in this." Ratchet smiles, sniffing when he isn't able to hold back the tears anymore.

"Sideswipe is going to love your new look, Ratchet. He is going to be so overjoyed." Sunstreaker grins, breaking the hug and securing his hold on the slippery seekerling before it manages to wriggle between his digits.

Thundercracker chooses this moment to land, and whatever Ratchet had been about to say drowns in Sideswipe's exuberant exclamations when the red frontliner jumps down from the blue seeker even before Thundercracker has managed to kneel and ease his way down.

"Thanks, TC! Sunny, isn't it just amazing! Hi, STAR! Heya, Skywarp!"

Then he freezes, staring with wide optics and open mouth at Ratchet and the flickering wings on the medic's back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to T'Reilani from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 01.02.2016: I have found a new beta on FF.net, CalliopeGalaxy, and thus I'm updating on the chapters being edited. I hope I soon can turn to actively writing on the story again. Keep in touch dear reader, and be aware that chapter 20 will be filled out with the proper chapter when the time comes. It won't be a new chapter, because I have decided to split chapter 18 into two chapters. It is simply so frelling long and I found a proper place to cut it without it sounding too strange.

"Hello Sideswipe," Ratchet greets the red frontliner with a humorous smile. His wings flicker playfully, further drawing Sideswipe's attention, causing the red twin to outright ogle the red and white wings on his back.

Sideswipe's shocked stare doesn't please Thundercracker. He yelps in surprise when the blue seeker, with a dangerous snarl, moves to protectively shield Ratchet from view behind the large frame. When Thundercracker leans down to glare menacingly into his optics, the blue seeker suddenly doesn't feel so welcoming, and Sideswipe takes a few small steps back at the obvious threat in the Winglord's stature.

::Uh, Sunny…:: Sideswipe prods Sunstreaker nervously, while staring into Thundercracker's hostile optics. His spark begins to pulse faster, inklings of fear seeping into it, while he stares into the blue seeker's unyielding gaze.

::No, Sideswipe. You're on your own this time.:: Sunstreaker replies coolly, keeping his dark humor at the situation out of the bond. Maybe Sideswipe is finally going to realize how unpredictable the seekers are.

This change in Thundercracker doesn't surprise Sunstreaker in the least.

The Winglord might have been lenient towards them earlier, but that doesn't mean that Thundercracker is on their side. What his brother doesn't seem to understand is that they are different species, and that the blue seeker first and foremost is protecting his kin.

The war between the Autobots and Decepticons doesn't matter to Thundercracker. They are no more than prey to the Winglord, and only Starscream keeps Thundercracker from outright killing them.

This confrontation between his brother and Thundercracker is hopefully going to cure Sideswipe of his naïve hero-worship of the Winglord. His brother needs to learn this lesson, which is why Sunstreaker doesn't intend to interfere in the confrontation. He is only going to interfere if Thundercracker truly begins to threaten Sideswipe, but so far nothing indicates that the Winglord intends to kill his brother.

Afraid to take his optics off of the blue seeker, Sideswipe stares, horrified, as Thundercracker's lips slowly parts and reveals the long row of dentas designed to tear and crush his plating. His optics widens and he gulps nervously at the sight, but it is the sight of the long sharp fangs this close to him that speeds up his spark pulse in true fear.

"I know you aren't going to hurt me." He stubbornly confronts Thundercracker with the very last vestige of trust, even as his spark pulses with frantic fear.

Thundercracker clearly doesn't like the sound of that statement, and Sideswipe's well-honed survival instinct screams at him to run, to flee, when Thundercracker's optics narrow condescendingly. He shies a few more steps back when Thundercracker leans further down until the seeker's menacing faceplates is on level with his own, and the yellow optics clearly shows him how little the blue seeker thinks of him.

::Sunny!:: he franticly pleads, panicking when the deadly fangs just comes closer and closer. Thundercracker's faceplates are now so close to him that the seeker's breath blows hotly across his facial plating.

::Where has your faith in him vanished off to, Sideswipe?:: Sunstreaker asks, bored, as he with careless indifference watches his brother cower in front of Thundercracker. He is so focused on the display that he doesn't notice the beginning complaints from the seekerling in his servos.

He should be alarmed by the development between his brother and Thundercracker, but Starscream's wings are moving in a way he recognizes from the playful matches they used to have with the tricolored seeker.

Starscream is silently laughing, and the fact that the tricolored seeker isn't in front of Thundercracker in an attempt to protect Sideswipe reassures Sunstreaker that whatever the blue seeker is planning to do to his brother, it isn't going to hurt Sideswipe too much, or at all.

Sideswipe manages to dodge the attack when Thundercracker finally strikes against him, and he moves along the ground in a fluid defensive roll to avoid the seeker's deadly claws. Scrambling to be prepared for the next attack, he turns around with optics wide with fear.

Any combat against seekers are extremely dangerous and Thundercracker, being the Winglord, is in a league of his own.

Sideswipe is aware that he shouldn't have been able to dodge the first attack and won't be able to dodge the next, but Thundercracker hasn't moved to intercept and attack him further when he turns around to face the blue seeker again. Instead the Winglord stands there with a strange glint in the yellow optics, and Sideswipe stares in confusion as Thundercracker slowly straightens from attack position and releases several rumbling gusts of air. The large wings begin to rattle and Sideswipe isn't sure what he is to lay into the emotions filling the sparkling yellow optics.

Is the Winglord laughing at him?

Starscream lightly caresses along Thundercracker's left wing as he, with a tempting display of swaying hips and fluttering wings, walks past the blue seeker to stand over the panicked red frontliner, a wide mirthful smile on his lips.

"I'm sure I don't have to explain to you that if Thundercracker truly had wanted to hurt you, then you wouldn't be alive right now." Starscream purrs, claws poised challenging at his hips as he stares down at the frightened frontliner.

::Seriously, Sideswipe! You panic at a display like this, but are fearless when he's obvious in his intent to kill?!:: Sunstreaker snorts disdainful.

::Shut up, Sunshine! It wasn't you he was threatening.:: Sideswipe grumbles as he grudgingly takes the servo Starscream offers to help him up.

::No, it wasn't, because I'm the sane one among the two of us. I know to not antagonize a seeker, and I know how unpredictable they are in their behavior. If you had paid more attention, you would have seen that the most obvious indication of an attacking seeker was missing in his display. You would have known that he was simply just playing around with you.:: Sunstreaker explains matter-of-factly, grinning at his brother's pathetic display when Starscream helps Sideswipe up from the ground.

"I hope you have learned your lesson, Sideswipe. Never antagonize him. As I told Sunstreaker, you are both lucky that Thundercracker didn't go through with his true intentions down there." Starscream warns deadly serious. "That being said, it is good to see you up. Did First Aid make a complete scan before he released you?" He adds and stares worried at the plating covering the healed wound.

Brushing some dirt off of his frame, Sideswipe looks up, sheepishly remembering his abrupt departure from the medbay.

"Sideswipe," Starscream growls when the red frontliner remains silent, optics narrowing as he glares at the red twin, wings flared high in passive aggression.

"Did he, or didn't he scan you before he released you from the medbay?" Starscream asks again.

"No." Sideswipe whispers and looks away, unable to meet Starscream's intense stare.

"Does anyone even know that you are out here? That you are awake?" Starscream asks suspiciously, glancing nervously towards Thundercracker.

They really don't need a repeat of the previous orn. Not that he thinks that the Autobots are going to be foolish enough to attack Thundercracker again.

"No." Sideswipe admits honestly with a deep sigh.

Starscream surprises everyone when he, in a sudden burst of anger, lashes out and forcibly restricts Sideswipe around the neck, roughly lifting the red frontliner from the ground, his lips parting in a vicious hiss.

"No one knows where you are?!" He demands to know.

"No." Sideswipe gasps, optics wide in shock as he fights to get free of the choking grip around his neck. A renewed surge of fear takes hold of his spark as he stares into Starscream's hostile optics. There is no sign of his old friend in the tricolored seeker right now. Sunstreaker is right; Starscream has changed and has become wilder.

"Starscream! You need to calm down. This doesn't solve anything. Release him." Ratchet intervenes with reason, hoping to prevent Starscream from hurting Sideswipe further.

Starscream turns towards Ratchet, acknowledging his creator's words, and with a snarl he releases his grip on the red twin, dumping Sideswipe forcefully to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Starscream. I didn't think about what might happen. I was worried about Thundercracker and… I'm sorry, okay?!" Sideswipe apologizes franticly, scurrying away from the irate seeker when Starscream with a growl turns fiery optics onto him.

"Do you have any idea what you might have done, Sideswipe?!" Starscream hisses in anger at the cowering frontliner.

"Starscream! I told you to calm down!" Ratchet bellows admonishingly, walking over to stand in front of his irate creation. Sunstreaker follows after the medic. The seekerling in his servos is complaining more and louder with every passing klik, and he has a hard time keeping it from wriggling free of his grip.

"Your seekerling need your attention and it is still early in the night. No one is going to discover that Sideswipe is missing for several cycles. Calm down and take care of your creation before it hurts itself." Ratchet adds in a softer tone, gesturing towards where Sunstreaker fights to keep the seekerling from escaping.

Starscream visibly deflates at Ratchet's words. Casting Sunstreaker an apologetic look, he walks over to the yellow frontliner and gently takes hold on his creation. Offering the seekerling a feeding line, the loud wails of distress slowly silence to a content purr, and he walks with lowered wings over to the resting area where Skywarp is lazily watching the whole debacle. Thundercracker follows after him, sensing Starscream's depressed mood, and curls protectively around the tricolored seeker in an offer of comfort, while now and then casting wary glances towards Ratchet and the twins.

Ratchet sighs at the sight of Starscream's dejected frame language, his own wings lowering slightly in sadness, but right now there is nothing he can do to lighten his creation's mood. Starscream needs to learn to think before he reacts. Turning towards the twins, he sits down on the ground beside Sideswipe and gestures for Sunstreaker to join them.

"I'm so sorry, Ratchet. I didn't mean to mess things up like this." Sideswipe apologizes, thoroughly subdued by Starscream's aggressive rebuke.

"It is okay, Sideswipe. Don't worry about it. It's about time that I confront the others anyway, instead of hiding the truth from them. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and I would like to answer them while we still have a moment of peace." He explains with a small smile and pats Sideswipe comfortingly on the shoulder.

"You have our full support, Ratchet. Anyone who isn't able to see that you are still you gets a fist to their faceplates." Sunstreaker growls angrily, and his brother's fierce spirit seems to lighten Sideswipe's mood a bit, because soon the red frontliner is back to his usual exuberant self and is eagerly asking questions.

Naturally, most of their curiosity is focused on his physical appearance and the visible changes happening to him. Some of their questions take even Ratchet by surprise, and he realizes how thoroughly his life actually is changing. He still has his wheels, but he definitely isn't going to try and transform into his altmode. He doesn't know if he even has one at this point.

It all raises some new questions about his future existence.

How much is this change going to affect his physical appearance beyond turning him into a seeker? Is he going to grow from his current 26 meters and into Starscream's 35 meters? How large are his wings going to be? When will he be able to transform into his new altmode and what is he going to look like? How is the feeling of flight going to be?

And of course the most important question.

What is his function going to be?

It is hard to ignore the signs, but it is glaringly obvious to him that he isn't going to be a medic anymore.

Whatever it is that is changing him, it is doing it thoroughly. His medical coding is slowly being demolished, and his internal medical tools and the ability to perform scans and diagnostics either refuse to obey him, or abort midway with countless errors.

He is given no chance to follow the changes happening inside him, and any attempt to uncover the mystery is rendered impossible when he tries to run deeper diagnostics. Error after error occur on his HUD when he tries to gain access to the diagnostics able to reveal his basic core coding, or when he tries to access the medical coding allowing him to rewrite and undo the changes being done to his core coding.

The slow demolition of his medical coding is frightening, and he is forced to helplessly endure as more and more of whom he used to be is replaced by new foreign coding. And he suspects that when the change is complete, he is going to be a clean slate, ready to be molded, but into what?

He knows nothing about the seekers' society.

However, despite the fact that the change and his powerlessness as it happens is greatly unsettling, it is at the moment the immense size difference that creates most unease, especially when Thundercracker demands his attention.

The Winglord is close to being the double of his size and the extreme size difference is, despite knowing that Thundercracker isn't going to hurt him, intimidating. Especially when Thundercracker, like earlier, had rested the much larger and heavier frame on top of his in a silent demand of intimacy after he had fed the blue seeker.

It is unnerving to be so much smaller than the other seekers, which is why he hopes that he is going to grow into the average size of a submissive seeker. He is aware that Thundercracker always is going to tower above him, but the extra height is going to lessen his unease when he is around the Winglord.

"Ratchet?" Sunstreaker's gentle inquiry draws him out of his thoughts, and he feels a light hesitant touch to his shoulder to further draw his attention away from his mind.

"Sorry. I got distracted by thoughts." He apologizes with a little smile, shaking his helm to rid his processor of the troubling distracting thoughts, and resumes answering their many curious questions.

The sound of heavy footsteps coming closer draws his attention midway an answer about the flexibility of his wings, and Sideswipe and Sunstreaker turns in unity to stare at Thundercracker as the blue seeker walks towards their little group.

The twins share a nervous glance, but Ratchet remains calm. He knows why Thundercracker is coming over to them, and he looks up when Thundercracker trills a small inquiring tune to him.

The blue wings perk up at his attention and Ratchet smiles at the sign of happiness, but responds to Thundercracker's vocalization with a gentle shake of his helm followed up by a soothing improvised coo. He hopes it is enough to reassure Thundercracker that he is content with where he is at the moment and that he is pleased that the blue seeker is there to offer him protection, but that he doesn't need it right now.

Thundercracker's wings droop at Ratchet's response to his inquiry, and he looks longingly towards the resting area where Skywarp and Starscream are snuggling into each other.

The seekerling is finally recharging and his mates are curling comfortingly into each other to get some more recharge themselves. His optics fills with affection at the sight of them curled together before he returns his attention to Ratchet in another attempt to get the carrier to follow him over to them.

He slowly spreads his wings in an enticing non-threatening way, purring softly and fluttering them proudly in a show of his strength. It is the same display he did in front of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker below the volcano, only this time without the underlying deadly threat. This time it is a display of his size and the strength and power that comes with his larger frame. The display is meant to convince the carrier about his ability to protect him from harm, if only Ratchet follows him over to his mates to recharge.

Once again Ratchet shakes his helm, this time firmer, unaware of the conflict his continued refusal is creating inside Thundercracker.

Protect the carrier of his newspark, or his mates and the seekerling?

It is an impossible choice and Thundercracker isn't going to force the carrier to obey and follow him, which gives him no other choice except to stay awake and guard them all.

He stares with another longing look at his recharging mates before he, with dejectedly lowered wings, walks over to sit down against a boulder a short distance away from Ratchet and the twins, silently watching and protecting the carrier.

Ratchet feels incredibly guilty at the sight of the blue seeker's saddened display, and realizes that because of his refusal Thundercracker isn't going to get any recharge the rest of the night.

He isn't aware that his own wings slowly lower to mirror Thundercracker's, and Sunstreaker gently touches his shoulder to get his attention.

"Go to him. You clearly need his presence as much as he needs yours." The yellow frontliner murmurs softly, gesturing towards Thundercracker.

"Are you sure?" Ratchet hesitates, glancing from one twin to the other.

"Yes. Don't think about us. We can manage." Sideswipe nods, staring past Ratchet at Thundercracker's saddened display.

It is so wrong to have the fearsome seeker look like a kicked turbo-puppy. He can't believe that it is the same seeker who not long ago had pulled off the threatening display at the bottom of the volcano and later had threatened and 'attacked' him after bringing him up here.

Ratchet stares one more time between the two frontliners before he rises and walks over to Thundercracker.

Thundercracker's optics follow him intensely as he walks closer and the seeker's wings slowly perk up with every step he takes. When he finally kneels in submission in front of Thundercracker, the blue wings are held high and proud on the seeker's back, while a continuous pleased purr reverberates from within the large frame.

Drawn to look up, Ratchet slowly lifts his gaze and drowns in the expressive yellow optics showing a wide range of raw emotions. After a while, realizing what he is doing, he abruptly looks away, embarrassed, and lowers his helm in proper submission. But he can't forget the deep care so visible in Thundercracker's optics and it warms his spark. This is where he belongs now, whether he likes it or not, and for as long as he carries the Winglord's newspark he is going to have the powerful seeker as a fierce protector.

He has a dreadful feeling that he is going to need that protection when they return back to Cybertron, but at the same time his spark fills with an intense longing to return to his home. It is an endeavor that has been impossible as long as he remained a ground-bound, but now has become possible because of his change into a seeker. Cybertron belongs to the seekers. Even if the Autobots manage to win the war against the Decepticons, they can't return.

The few brief times anyone of the Autobots has taken the trip through the spacebridge, it has been clear to them that there is nothing for them to return to. Their golden society is in ruins and with the seekers ruling the skies all over the planet, instilling fear and preying on the unfortunate unable to find shelter in time, it is impossible for them to rebuild.

Cybertron is forever lost to them, and Earth has become their only chance for survival, but only if they manage to stop the Decepticons from taking over the planet.

Another fate they are forced to accept is that they are a dying race. Vector Sigma was destroyed during the long siege of Iacon and without it, there is no way for them to repopulate should they win the war. It makes his current predicament quite peculiar, and the warmth from the new life he is carrying beside his own spark means the world to him.

"I hope you know how much you mean to me." He murmurs affectionately to the tiny newspark inside him and smiles at the feeling of a tiny barely-there pulse in response.

His attention is drawn back to Thundercracker when the blue seeker, with a large claw under his chin, gently lifts his helm, forcing him to once again look up and into the magnificent yellow optics. Thundercracker slowly closes the distance between them by leaning forward, and their faceplates are so close that Ratchet can feel how the seeker's hot breath caresses along his cheeks.

He sees Thundercracker hesitate for a brief klik, the yellow optics diverting their attention downward, before the blue seeker leans in even further to close more of the distance between them. Once again he drowns in the intensity of the yellow gaze now so close to him, and he is so captivated by the emotions filling the seeker's optics, that he isn't aware of when Thundercracker is tilting his helm slightly, or when the seeker leans in to close the very last distance between them.

It is only at the first brief touch to his lips that he realizes what is happening, and he widens his optics in shock and disbelief, momentarily paralyzed.

The next touch of the seeker's lips lingers only the briefest moment longer, before Thundercracker once again slowly withdraws.

The third touch is a true kiss, gentle and almost hesitant.

He begins to shiver, his wings clearly showing his deep shock at the foreign intimacy coming from the blue seeker.

He has never done this before. Kissing is something humans do, not cybertronians, or at least he didn't think they did.

Thundercracker is clearly pleased with his reaction, because the seeker keeps kissing him and the kisses grow more and more demanding until they are so forceful that he can feel the fangs hidden behind the closed lips.

It takes a while for him to recover enough from his shock to begin to reciprocate and the unaccustomed movement of his lips feels clumsy and insecure. It is obvious to him that despite initiating the kiss hesitantly, Thundercracker is used to this form of intimacy and it makes him wonder if this is a common practice among the seekers.

He can definitely understand why the seekers would use this kind of intimacy, and he offlines his optics to completely surrender to the intense feeling of pleasure the touch of Thundercracker's lips awakens within him. Every kiss feeds a growing fire within his spark, and he willingly parts his lips when Thundercracker's glossa presses demandingly against them and allows the blue seeker to conquer him.

The intensity of the fire in his spark grows with every klik, and he whimpers helplessly when the intensity of his growing arousal begins to affect the rest of his frame. Liquid heat begins to pool unpleasantly behind his valve cover and once again he feels how he is reaching a breaking point where something has to give.

Lost to the growing arousal, he isn't aware of the experienced touch to his wings that sends pangs of liquid fire searing through his sensornet, or the claws easily supporting him as Thundercracker gently forces him to lie down onto his back. It is first when the invading glossa slowly withdraws and their kiss is broken, that he realizes that something is wrong, and he onlines his optics to find Thundercracker kneeling domineeringly above him. The seeker's optics are burning with lust while the blue wings are flared wide, trembling with unrestrained emotions, and Ratchet realizes that there is no saying no to the incredibly erotic display. He stares enraptured into the burning inferno in Thundercracker's optics, unable to look away, and his spark begins to quiver.

"Thundercracker." He whispers in awe, aware that he should be frightened by what is going to happen, but he isn't. He shouldn't want this, but his spark is burning with a nearly insatiable desire at the sight of the need so visibly displayed in the powerful frame hovering above him.

Thundercracker's response is to break their optic contact to survey their surroundings. The seeker's optics narrow as he scans for any kind of threat, and Ratchet has a nagging feeling that there is something important he has forgotten in the maddening rush of lust and arousal overtaking him. However, he isn't given much time to linger on the nagging feeling in the back of his processor, because Thundercracker's full attention returns to him a klik later and is followed up by the distinct sound of the seeker's spike cover releasing.

In the darkness surrounding them, it is impossible for him to see anything, and it is first when his legs are spread widely apart to allow the seeker to fit in-between them, that Thundercracker shows him his eagerness as the spike rubs insistently against his inner thigh. A wanton moan is forced from his vocalizer at the feeling of the thickness ready to claim him, and Thundercracker's powerful and well-maintained engine rumbles in a pleased response.

He is given no respite and nearly chokes on a moan when Thundercracker begins to move against him. The seeker's broad hips force his legs even wider apart, and begin a measured undulating pace, rubbing the head of the spike slowly, but insistently, against his still closed valve cover. The act belies the fierceness otherwise displayed in Thundercracker's frame and is clearly meant to coax his closed valve cover to open, by sending intense zings of pleasure racing throughout his frame. It is a maddening feeling that mercilessly drives him closer to an inevitable breaking point.

"Please. I want you, but I don't know how to command it open." He croaks, desperately begging Thundercracker to stop tormenting him. The blue seeker answers with a lustful purr, rubbing the whole length of the spike against the closed valve cover, which finally triggers it to slide aside.

A deep primal growl is wrought from Thundercracker's vocalizer when the intensity of Ratchet's arousal reaches his olfactory sensor, and he is unable to hold back any longer. His powerful hips surge forward in a forceful thrust that penetrates Ratchet to the hilt in one fluid unbroken movement.

"Primus!" Ratchet utters, withering in pleasure as the spike slides into him and triggers every sensor lining his valve. It results in a renewed, continuous, onslaught of pleasure from his new frame, and he careens over the edge and into an all-consuming overload. His whole sensornet blanks out at the sheer intensity of it, and he is only distantly aware of Thundercracker hissing in pleasure when his valve clamps possessively down on the spike.

From then on there is no longer any gentleness left in the seeker, and Ratchet can only cling to the large frame on top of him, while Thundercracker takes him with brutal force. Any coherency is lost to the continuous flow of pleasure from the forceful slide of the spike within him, and it is first when he hears Thundercracker roar in pleasured release that he realizes that he is rapidly careening towards another overload.

The flow of hot transfluids bursting into his valve sends him over and his grip on Thundercracker grows almost painful as he thrashes in his second overload. Thundercracker keeps thrusting to empty all the released transfluids into him, and he shudders at the strange sensation of being filled with the dominant seeker's fluids.

Warnings alert him to threatening overheat, but he currently ignores them. There is nothing he can do about them anyway, and he suspects that the overheating is related to his new physical configurations. His frame isn't designed to produce and handle the immense heat this pleasure creates, and to have a scorching hot seeker on top of him isn't helping to lower the dangerous rise of heat either.

Still high on the aftereffect of the overload, he relaxes into the ground with a deep sigh, completely spent and with a feeling of content completeness filling his spark. The angst from his first mating with Thundercracker is only a distant memory, and it fills him with a sense of rightness to have the dominant seeker breathe heavily, expelling excess heat, while resting on top of him.

The spike begins to slowly withdraw and his cover closes, sealing the transfluids inside him. Then Thundercracker gently rolls them, and he ends up resting on top of the blue seeker, looking down into optics mirroring his own deepest feelings of satisfaction. Thundercracker coos happily and he smiles in response before lowering his helm to kiss the seeker's lips.

There is no warmth from his spark this time, only the deep feeling of satisfaction and a happy flutter from within his sparkchamber. The newspark is clearly happy sensing both its carrier and Sire close by and the affectionate feelings suffusing them. It only serves to awaken even more affectionate feelings for Thundercracker, and he sends a pulse of affection to the little new life within him.

"I think I could fall in love with you, if you didn't already belong to someone." He murmurs affectionately to Thundercracker, his spark swelling with feelings he never thought he would ever be able to harbor for the dangerous predator resting beneath him. Seeing Thundercracker's attention sharpen at his words, he realizes what he just said and blushes in embarrassment at the fact that he even dare to say such things. It must be his overheating processor messing with him and unable to stare into the curious optics, he rests his helm against a blue shoulder and looks out into the darkness surrounding them.

Listening to the comforting sound of Thundercracker's systems slowly winding down, it takes a moment for him to realize that there are two pair of blue optics looking back at him from the darkness, and his optics widens in horror when he remembers.

The twins!

Primus, he is never going to live this down.

He turns his helm with a suffering groan and hides his faceplates against Thundercracker's plating.

If only he could stay like this forever without needing to face them, but he can't. There are only a few cycles before the sun begins to rise and by then they need to be down inside the medbay.

It is something else he doesn't look forward to, but he can't stall it any longer.

What are Optimus and the others going to think when they finally see him?

Those he truly dreads facing are Ironhide and Prowl, but what he fears the most is Hound's reaction to the change. What is the tracker going to think about all this?

The sound of Sideswipe's distant joyous laughter eases the worst of his immediate fear and worry, and he turns his helm to once again stare at the twins. It comforts him to know that he isn't going to face the other Autobots alone, and with newfound determination, he moves to rise from Thundercracker. He needs to get the awkwardness out of his systems before they venture down into the base.

Thundercracker stops him from leaving by grabbing him lightly around the waist when he rises to walk over to the twins. The large dangerous claws scrape along his plating, but their sharp deadly tips never touch him as Thundercracker restricts him. The considerate gentleness with which the blue seeker handles him banishes the sudden rise of fear at the restriction, and he turns around to look down into yellow optics full of curiosity. Realizing that Thundercracker isn't forbidding him to leave, just curious, he kneels down beside the blue seeker and kisses him affectionately. Thundercracker reciprocates with soft gentle nibbles to his lower lip, and in response he slowly parts his lips, welcoming the seeker's glossa into his mouth.

"I'm not going far. I just need to talk to them." He calmly explains when he breaks the intense kiss and gestures towards where the two frontliners are sitting. Thundercracker follows his gesture curiously and rises to follow him, when Ratchet walks over to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker.

Ratchet sighs deeply, feeling a bit exasperated at Thundercracker's overprotectiveness. Everything would be so much easier if he could communicate in the seekers spoken language, but it doesn't seem like something that is going to happen in the near future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to CalliopeGalaxy from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have now competeled the editing on this chapter and those of you following the story will notice the new beginning of the chapter and the more in-depth interaction between Optimus and Thundercracker. I felt that the old beginning of the chapter felt strange. We jump from the top of the volcano and down into the medbay without further explanation. My solution is the new beginning and i hope you will be as satisfied with it as i am. In regard of the interaction between Optimus and Thundercracker, I felt it strange, considering the seekers' society, that Thundercracker accepted Optimus' easy disregard of his presence and that is the reason why i have him acting more hostile, without really being it. I hope you feel his and Optimus' reactions justified. And lastly i have added another ending to this chapter, which is going to lead into a smoother beginning on chapter 17. You will also notice that i have tried to get more interaction from Skywarp into the chapter and i plan to work more with him in the next chapters as well. He had become too anonymous to my liking.

"Ratchet, it's time."

Starscream's soft voice rouses Ratchet from recharge, and he sluggishly onlines his optics to stare into Thundercracker's optics only a few inches from his own. The blue seeker is curled protectively around him, with one of the large wings covering him completely, to shield him from the coldness of the night.

"What time is it?" He asks when he gives Thundercracker a little shy smile. His intimate moment with the blue seeker a few cycles ago resurfaces, and he looks away, embarrassed, at the sight of the passionate fire burning in Thundercracker's optics.

"We are a few breems from sunrise. We need to get down into the medbay before the Autobots begins to rouse from their recharge and finds Sideswipe missing." Starscream answers calmly. His depression from earlier in the night seems to be gone and it fills Ratchet with relief to know that Starscream isn't holding onto their argument.

Then again, he has to remember that the seekers don't hold grudges.

Thundercracker slowly uncurls from around him, and he sees the faint glow of the sun slowly coming over the horizon in the far distance. The contrast between the growing light and the darkness of the sky is an incredibly beautiful sight. It is a rare experience for him to see a sunrise, and he regrets not having spent more time appreciating the simplest wonders of the planet he and the other Autobots have come to call home.

"Skywarp is going to bring us down into the base. I will go down first, then you will follow and Thundercracker will join us afterward. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker will be the last." Starscream explains before he walks over to where Skywarp is standing, ready to take him away.

Ratchet rises from the ground and dusts the volcanic sediment off of his frame. He methodically flexes his joints to get the stiffness out of them, his wings stretching as high and wide as they can to dispel the last of the lingering tension in them from his recharge on the ground, while he stares at Skywarp as Starscream stops in front of the other seeker. The movements of their wings indicate that they are talking, but no sound is heard. Thundercracker rises with him. The large wings fold around him in a protective embrace when the blue seeker kneels in front of him and leans in to kiss him affectionately. It is the only reassurance Thundercracker can offer him in the trial ahead and he welcomes it.

Then he hears the tell-tale sound of Skywarp teleporting away and his spark pulse speeds up in anticipation of the encounter ahead. A few klik later, he hears Skywarp return, and Thundercracker releases him from the embrace of the large wings.

"I can do this." He whispers encouragingly to himself. When he walks over to the black and purple seeker, and steps as close to Skywarp as he possibly can, Skywarp cradles him protectively against his frame and then they are gone.

* * *

"I can't do this." He whispers, staring anxiously at the base-wide comlink located beside the door to the medbay. He doesn't feel ready for the confrontation, but he cannot stall it any longer. The confrontation is inevitable, unless he wants to hide from his comrades for the rest of his life, living in uncertainty.

His courage is faltering, and he casts a hesitant glance over his shoulder to meet Thundercracker's encouraging optics. The strength in them fills him with renewed resolve.

"Everyone to the medbay!" He orders into the comlink when he activates it. His voice fills the whole spaceship, rousing the other Autobots from their recharge. He cuts the communication and walks over to the strange group of the two frontliners and the three seekers ready to support and defend him.

It is the moment of truth.

It doesn't take long before they hear movement in the corridor outside the medbay. Thundercracker takes a step forward to shield him completely behind the seeker's larger frame when the door into the medbay begins to open.

"It is going to be okay." Sideswipe reassures him when the red frontliner steps forward to greet their arriving comrades with a blinding mischievous smile.

"Sideswipe," Ratchet hears several voices murmur in confusion, and he can imagine their surprised expressions at the sight of the frontliner greeting them instead of him.

"Aren't you happy to see me?!" Sideswipe's smile falters and morphs into a pout.

"Of course we are, Sideswipe. It is good to see that you are up." Optimus answers Sideswipe reassuringly, and he is about to ask further into the frontliner's wellbeing, when he notices Thundercracker stand to the far side of the medbay with Starscream and Skywarp flanking the blue seeker.

The Winglord is staring at him with the intensity of a predator, and Thundercracker's wings rises when their optics meet, but despite the threatening display, there is no true hostility in the blue seeker's optics. However, it is obvious to Optimus that Thundercracker is scrutinizing him critically – leader to leader – and for some reason finds him lacking.

It is a worrying development in their already fragile association with the Winglord that Thundercracker, for reasons unknown, begins to question his abilities as a leader. He wonders what has caused the blue seeker to suddenly doubt his ability to lead.

Thundercracker's gaze is merciless and the cold yellow optics narrows slightly, as if daring Optimus to break their optics contact. He has enough situational awareness to acknowledge the threatening challenge hidden in the blue seeker's behavior, and meets Thundercracker's gaze with steely resolve. One mistake in his interaction with the blue seeker within the next breems and he is certain Thundercracker is going to kill him.

But why is the Winglord challenging him?

What is Thundercracker gaining from challenging him when Optimus already is aware of his inferiority to the blue seeker?

This is the first time a seeker has included someone outside their society into one of their cultural traditions, and Optimus fears what the long-term consequence of the challenge from the Winglord is going to be.

He doesn't fear his own death, but worries about Thundercracker's intentions if he is killed by the blue seeker. What's going to happen to his Autobots and what about Ratchet?

A strong wave of energy pulsates from within the Matrix in response to his inner turmoil and fills him with calm.

" _Do not worry, Optimus of the Primes. Your time has not come yet."_ A disembodied voice whispers from within the relic, startling him enough to almost break the optics contact with Thundercracker.

"Who?" He whispers in shock. Never before has the relic spoken like this, but there is no answer, and his time is running out when Thundercracker begins to growl dangerously.

Turning his full attention back to the Winglord, he decides to take a risky chance.

Mirroring a display that he has seen exhibited countless times among the seekers during the war on Cybertron, and not a few times in deference to the blue seeker in front of him, he acknowledges Thundercracker's superiority by slowly kneeling and tilting his helm to the side to expose and offer his vulnerable neck cables to the Winglord. Without wings it is hard for him to give the right impression of submission, but he hopes that Thundercracker acknowledges his honest attempt to answer the challenge.

Thundercracker answers the display of submission with a low growl and a further rise of the large wings to display his size and strength, and Optimus reacts to the posture by lowering his own height further. The fierce yellow optics watch him with increased intensity, gauging his sincerity, but then the wings lower and the challenge dissipates completely from Thundercracker's frame language.

Optimus notices out of the corner of his optics that Starscream's wings sag minutely, when Thundercracker acknowledges his show of submission, while Skywarp remains unmoving. Slowly breaking the optics contact with Thundercracker and rising from his kneeling position, he carefully meets Starscream's optics and sees a flood of relief in them. Finally, warily turning his attention away from the three seekers, he looks around the room and realizes that he can't see Sunstreaker or Ratchet anywhere.

If Sideswipe is up, then it is impossible for Sunstreaker to not be here.

"Sideswipe, where is your brother?" He asks, puzzled, optics searching for the missing frontliner.

"Over here, Prime." Sunstreaker answers and to Optimus' shock the yellow frontliner steps free of the seekers and into view.

"Where is Ratchet?" Hound and First Aid asks in unity and the twins share a knowing grin.

"Don't worry, he is here." Sideswipe smirks.

"And we are here to make sure that you all behave!" Sunstreaker growls as he walks over to his brother to stand in a united front with Sideswipe between the Autobots and the three seekers and Ratchet.

"Thundercracker?" Sideswipe asks the blue seeker with a smug grin. Ratchet fights the urge to cling to the seeker's back when Thundercracker slowly, almost reluctantly, moves to reveal him.

Primus, this is it.

The silence that follows his revelation is deafening, and his spark pulses franticly in its chamber, but then the silence is broken, and the sound of disbelief coming from his comrades nearly suffocates him.

He doesn't dare to look up and meet their optics.

What is he going to see in them?

Disbelief?

Suspicion?

Hatred?

Rejection?

It is the last that is going to break him the most.

What if they reject him?

What if they don't want him anymore?

What if…

His train of thoughts is abruptly interrupted by the feeling of the large frame leaning in against his back. His wings perk up from their saddened display at the clear support, and he looks up to see Thundercracker calmly looking down at him with passionate yellow optics.

They remind him that even if he is rejected by his comrades, then he still has a home.

He belongs to the Winglord now, belongs among the seekers. This meeting isn't going to cause his life to come crashing down on him if his comrades can't see past his new outer self.

"Ratchet?" First Aid's hesitant voice draws his attention and he looks away from Thundercracker. To his relief there are no negative emotions in the younger medic's voice, and his spark fills with hope when he meets First Aid's optics.

"Yes, First Aid, it is me." He answers with a little shy smile. There is nothing but curiosity in the younger medic's optics and it eases the worst of his worry.

They aren't going to reject him.

"But, Ratchet, you got wings!" Hound exclaims loudly in shocked disbelief and crushes Ratchet's delicate hope. This is the moment he has feared the most and the accusatory tone in the tracker's voice is not promising good.

"Yes, Hound, I have wings now." He replies and his wings begin to droop again. He can already sense the rejection lingering in the air around them.

"You are turning into one of THEM?! Becoming a killer?! Do you even know what HE has done?!" Hound yells, pointing angrily at Thundercracker. The questions are full of hate and disgust, layered with accusation, disdain and rage, as if Hound believes that Ratchet has chosen this willingly.

The accusations shock him to his spark and he stares blankly at the tracker, unable to believe that it is Hound speaking those hurtful words.

He thought rejection would be the hardest to handle, but this…

He is on the verge of breaking and fights valiantly against the tears pressing on behind his optics. Behind him, Starscream shuffles a bit, and Ratchet can't even begin to imagine what his creation is thinking, hearing Hound's hateful words. He thought Hound wanted to reunite with Starscream, but this… This is creating an impossible abyss between them.

The tracker is rejecting the both of them.

He is too shocked to register it when Sunstreaker attacks and doesn't really hear the commotion when the frontliner's fist hits Hound in the faceplates. All that fills him is the sudden emptiness in his spark.

Someone is yelling and Ironhide steps forward to confront Sunstreaker, but he is only distantly aware of it.

He sees Sunstreaker prepare for another attack, possibly to hit Ironhide, who is advancing in on the irate frontliner, but he is too consumed by shock to really register the world around him.

"He is still our Ratchet!" Sunstreaker roars in anger, glaring daggers at Hound and daring the other Autobots to say otherwise.

"So what if he is turning into a seeker?! He is still our comrade and I don't want to see any of you treat him otherwise!" The yellow frontliner snarls, ready to attack and pummel some sense into their comrades if it is necessary.

"Sunstreaker! Ironhide! Calm down!" Optimus' voice bellows above the commotion and the Autobot leader steps between the two mechs to prevent the tension from escalating further.

"We don't need this right now, neither does Ratchet!" Optimus explains in a softer voice.

The first tear begins to trail down his cheek and Ratchet stares blankly at his…

…are they still his comrades?

The doubt hits him hard and tears begin to flow faster until he begins to sob and tremble.

Sunstreaker turns around to look at him and he can see the guilt in the frontliner's optics. The yellow twin takes a step towards him with arms open in apology, but blue wings move to shield and obscure him from sight before Sunstreaker can say or do anything further.

Thundercracker growls threateningly at the Autobots, and Ratchet is silently thankful for the seeker's presence when Thundercracker's strong arms embrace him possessively. There is a tiny rattle of the wings, when Thundercracker lowers his helm between them, and Ratchet looks up and is met with the deep worry and care the Winglord allows him to see here in the cocoon created by the blue wings.

The world around them doesn't exist right now.

There is only him and the seeker, and he gives in to all his rampaging feelings and sobs loudly to the sound of Thundercracker's soft and comforting croon.

Overcome by chaotic feelings, it feels like Thundercracker is the only one he can expect to always be there for him. The Winglord is never going to abandon him and is always going to be a constant presence in his new life in one way or another.

The thought fills him with a calming sense of serenity, and the feelings it creates in his spark slowly drown out the hurt caused by Hound's words. His tears begin to cease their constant flow, and once again he looks up to stare into the depth of the blue seeker's optics.

Thundercracker trills a soft vibrant coo at the attention, and Ratchet smiles up at the seeker.

"Yes, I'm better now. I would just wish everyone could see you like you truly are. You take the word affectionate to whole new levels, Thundercracker." He murmurs and his smile widens when Thundercracker curiously cants his helm. The seeker clearly doesn't understand the words, but the softness of Ratchet's voice is enough to tell Thundercracker what he feels.

Who would have thought the Winglord capable of being this full of feelings?

But any gentleness disappears the next moment when Thundercracker tenses, and Ratchet feels how the wings embracing him tightens protectively around him while a low and threatening rumble begins to sound from within the blue seeker. The yellow optics narrows and fixates on something on the other side of the wings, and Ratchet tenses in preparation of the threat Thundercracker has sensed.

"Ratchet?"

He gasps in surprise at the sound of First Aid's soft voice.

Thundercracker looks down at him and he meets the seeker's optics again.

'Your decision', they seem to tell him and in that instant, his spark fills with love for the blue seeker.

"Ratchet?" First Aid asks once again.

He nods with a little smile to Thundercracker and the wings begin to slowly unfurl around him.

First Aid moves a short distance away and looks warily up at Thundercracker when the seeker straightens to full height. He visibly relaxes when the large wings settles calmly on the blue seeker's back without any sign of hostility. Then Ratchet sees the younger medic's gaze warily shift between Thundercracker's flanks and he remembers that Starscream and Skywarp are flanking them.

He stares past First Aid and meets the negative glares from his comrades.

No.

They are no longer his comrades. Not if they can't see past the physical change and see that it doesn't change who he is in his spark.

No.

He doesn't belong here anymore.

His fear of rejection is foolish, even if Hound's words did hurt like the Pit.

The abyss between him and the other Autobots grows wider by the klik, and Thundercracker's supportive presence gives him the strength to meet Hound's optics with a hard stare.

There is still some lingering pain in his spark at the rejection, but the care Thundercracker so willingly offers him is healing it. And he realizes that even though his comrades hadn't rejected him, then he wouldn't be allowed to stay on Earth when the seekers return to Cybertron.

He is carrying the Winglord's newspark, and Thundercracker is never going to willingly let him out of sight until it is born. The choice has already been made for him and should he ever get the chance to choose for himself, then the choice between the kind and sympathetic Prime and the charismatic and passionate Winglord is fairly easy.

The two leaders offer very different lives.

Optimus is an old and very dear friend, but even if he walks into unchartered territory by choosing the Winglord, then he is simply too tired of war to worry about the unknown life he chooses among the seekers. At least together with Thundercracker he has a chance at peace and a true home, instead of war and the constant fear and suffering he will have to endure if he stays together with Optimus and the Autobots.

The Prime might not reject him, but it is clear to him that the others aren't welcoming his new look.

"Forget them, Ratchet. We will make them understand." First Aid interrupts his thoughts and he returns his attention to the younger medic.

"Can you tell me anything about what is happening to you? How or why it is happening?" First Aid asks him in a voice full of bemused curiosity.

"No. All my medical coding is being demolished. My medical expertise is failing me. Whatever it is that is causing the change, it has disabled everything that would allow me to uncover how far-reaching the invasive changes already are and are going to be when it's done. I need your expertise to solve this mystery, 'Aid." He explains in frustration, his wings fanning erratically with the sea of turbulent emotions filling him.

"It is okay, Ratchet. We will find the reason and see what we can do about it. Don't worry." First Aid reassures him confidently before the younger medic turns to face the other Autobots.

"Everyone out. You are all dismissed. You too, Prime. I know you want to talk to him, but right now he is my patient. Out!" The younger medic orders and meets the other Autobots' glares with a stern gaze, before he turns to look up at Thundercracker. The blue seeker's optics narrows, as if daring First Aid to tell him to leave as well.

"There is no need for that, Thundercracker. I'm not going to tell you to leave. You and your mates are welcome to stay." First Aid reassures softly with a small welcoming nod to the three seekers, and he smiles when Thundercracker, placated, steps away from Ratchet and allows him to see his mentor clearly.

"As you can see, this is me." Ratchet murmurs, gesturing down his changing frame. His nervousness is visible in his twitching wings, and he startles when First Aid takes one of his servos to inspect the sharpening digits in open fascination.

"Primus, Ratchet! Doesn't it hurt?" First Aid asks in awe. He examines the sharpness of one of the digits with a light pressure from one of his own, drawing a tiny drop of energon when it easily breaches his plating.

"No. Despite the radical changes, it is surprisingly painless. The only part of me that hurts at this stage is my feet." Ratchet answers in a telling voice.

At that First Aid looks up startled.

"Thrusters," he confirms Ratchet's own thoughts.

"Yes, but they seem to develop slower than Starscream's. There is still no visible sign of them forming and the pain has been there from the moment I woke. That is one orn ago and Starscream grew his in just a couple orns." Ratchet explains with a deep frown.

"It might be because they aren't among the most urgent parts in the change you are undergoing." First Aid offers as suggestion, and releases the grip on Ratchet's servo to critically study the rest of his mentor's changing frame.

The wings are still the most obvious change, but here and there he can see some of the other changes that Ratchet is undergoing, and it is clear to him that the frame is cannibalizing the unneeded parts to rebuild Ratchet into his new alt mode. At some locations on the frame, new modifications have begun to form while places, like the wheels, are slowly being eaten away to give materials and space to the frame's new configurations.

"Where do you want me to start?" He asks, momentarily overwhelmed by all the changes happening to his mentor's frame, and it is only what he can see with his optics. It's impossible to know what is going on inside Ratchet.

"I'm not sure, 'Aid. I have no clue when or why the change began. All I know is that I woke up the other night with Thundercracker hovering above me and had wings and everything." Ratchet sighs frustrated.

First Aid remains in contemplative silence for nearly a breem, before he finally decides what course of action to take. Ratchet's situation is unique. There have been no other cases with anyone changing like his mentor is.

"I suggest that we start with a few basic examinations of your armor and energon, and then move on from there. I can see how your frame is degenerating and the extent of it worries me. Without an in-depth examination of your armor composition, integrity and density, it's impossible to know how this change is affecting your health." He proposes with a thoughtful frown.

"I agree, but my immediate concern is my coding and failing systems. I need to know how invasive and severe the changes already are and what it is adding to replace my missing coding. It has already rendered my medical coding useless and is affecting my core coding. I want you to examine my processor to give me some answers about why this is happening to me and the extent of it." Ratchet insists urgently.

"I might as well complete a full physical scan of your frame and processor to get a full overview of the changes happening to you. And of course I need to check your spark and sparkchamber integrity." First Aid agrees with a smile. It is good to have his mentor back. He has missed their sparing during Ratchet's illness.

"About that, 'Aid, there is something you should know." Ratchet adds warily.

"Do you sense anything serious from your spark?!" First Aid asks, alarmed.

"No, it's just…" Ratchet stares at the younger medic and debates whether he should tell First Aid about the newspark or not, but even if he doesn't then the examination is going to show it. "I'm sparked." He answers in a voice barely more than a whisper and bites his lips, while he waits for First Aid's reaction to that bit of information.

"You're…WHAT?!" First Aid exclaims, startled, and Thundercracker growls at his sudden outburst.

"And Thundercracker is the Sire." Ratchet adds.

"You…! He…!" First Aid glances franticly between Ratchet and the blue seeker, disbelief prominent on his faceplates as he gapes shocked up at Thundercracker.

"How?!" He demands to know when he turns to face Ratchet again. His wide optics shows a wide range of emotions, but to Ratchet's relief none of them are negative, just honest shock and surprise.

"Apparently whatever it is that is changing me decided to modify my internals as some of the first. As I said, I woke to Thundercracker hovering above me. I'm not going into details about what happened, but he mated with me and ended up sparking me." Ratchet explains, embarrassed, afraid to meet First Aid's optics.

"Are you telling me that you are carrying Thundercracker's newspark while these changes continue to happen?!" The sudden strictness in First Aid's voice takes Ratchet by surprise, and the younger medic gives him no chance to answer before he is forcefully dragged towards the nearest berth.

"Get on the berth, now!" First Aid orders before walking over to one of the cabinets to gather the medical tools and accessories needed for the examinations.

Ratchet smiles wryly when he sits down on the berth. Usually he would protest, but First Aid does have a valid point. Experience is against him. He still remembers Starscream's carrier and even Starscream had issues in the beginning of his carrying. It is impossible to know how these changes are affecting him while he is in the state of carrying.

First Aid returns to the berth with a syringe, a medical kit to take the armor samples and an energon drop in case Ratchet's energy levels are too low.

Ratchet relaxes back onto his wings with a deep sigh, and he makes himself comfortable on the berth, while First Aid begins to connect him to the monitors to keep track of his vitals. They activate one after another, showing his spark rate, spark pulse, processor activity, energon levels and energy integrity in various essential systems.

Nothing seems out of sort.

His spark rate is in perfect balance with his energy levels and it eases his worry to know that the newspark is safe and healthy within him.

Then he notices a shadow loom above him and he looks up into Thundercracker's worried optics.

"It is okay, Thundercracker. First Aid is just going to examine me to make sure everything is alright with me and our newspark." He coos softly and lifts a servo to offer reassurance, but all it does is causing Thundercracker to emit an uncommon tiny whine before the blue seeker kneels to get even closer to him.

Starscream walks up beside the berth and smiles down at Ratchet.

"Don't bother, Ratchet. Last time Thundercracker experienced one of us on a medical berth I was dying, remember? Nothing you say or do is going to make him calm down and not worry about you. He is so full of worry that it bleeds into our bond with him. I know that you want to figure out why this is happening to you, but don't expect him to understand your medical procedures. We don't have anything like that among our people, and I can't explain it to him in a way he will understand." Starscream explains softly, gently caressing one of Thundercracker's taut wings in reassurance.

"Can't you at least tell him that I'm not dying?" Ratchet points out while he stares into Thundercracker's optics. It hurts to see the concern in them and know that he can't do anything to ease the blue seeker's worry.

It surprises him when Starscream begins to laugh at his question, and he shifts his optics from Thundercracker to stare offended at his creation.

"I'm sorry, Ratchet. I simply forgot that you don't know anything about the Winglord's abilities." Starscream apologizes with humor before he begins to explain.

"You are now one of his seekers. That means that a part of your spark lingers inside the Winglord essence within his spark, and it allows him to sense certain things, just like with the rest of our people. I don't need to tell him that you aren't dying, he already knows that, but he still worries. By experience, medical berths mean bad things to him. He might be the almighty and fearsome Winglord, but in truth he is one of the most caring dominants among our people. You are his newest seeker and, in addition, carrier of his newspark; allow him to worry about you. It is rare for him to be this relaxed and unguarded. You should relish in it." Starscream explains with a wide smile.

"Oh." Ratchet answers, dumbstruck. Suddenly he sees some of Thundercracker's reactions in a completely new light.

"Are you ready?" First Aid asks, interrupting his thoughts, gesturing with the syringe in his servo.

"Yes. Let's begin." He answers with a nod and offers his left arm to the younger medic.

Thundercracker growls threateningly and flares his wings in a display of aggression when First Aid brings the syringe into contact with Ratchet's plating, but Starscream is swift with a soothing claw on a blue wing to prevent the dominant from attacking the younger medic. Skywarp joins them at the berth and begins to croon soothingly while caressing Thundercracker's other wing.

/It is okay, Thundercracker. First Aid won't hurt Ratchet or the newspark./ Starscream coos softly, and Thundercracker reluctantly allows their comforting touch to lull him into a state of docility.

There is a minute sting of pain when Ratchet feels the syringe breach his plating and enter one of the larger energon lines in his arm, and he suppresses the wince at the sting. A klik later First Aid withdraws the syringe and to Ratchet's relief his energon seems unaffected. It still attains its natural vibrant purple color and shows no visible sign of change.

First Aid takes the welder from the medical kit to close the tiny wound, but when he turns to seal it, it has already done so on its own.

"What the…!" He exclaims and drops the welder in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised, First Aid. He is turning into a seeker and this is how our frames work." Starscream chuckles at the younger medic's surprise.

First Aid stares bemused at the healed plating, remembering Sideswipe's grave injury some orns ago and how Starscream had healed it. With a thoughtful nod, he accepts Ratchet's new abilities as a seeker and moves on with the examination.

Starscream's wings begin to tense in alarm, when the younger medic takes the laser scalpel from the medical kit and brings it online to test its functionality. Sensing the minute tensions in his tricolored mate, Thundercracker instinctually reacts to it, and his docile optics sluggishly searches their surroundings for the threat Starscream has identified. They land on the medical tool First Aid is checking and his coding begins to stir.

"Wait!" Starscream shouts and shocks both First Aid and Ratchet with the urgency of his voice. A short moment of silence follows his outburst and then Skywarp swiftly teleports away with Thundercracker.

"Starscream?" Ratchet asks, confused, when Starscream flinches at something he can't see.

"There is no need to worry, Ratchet. Skywarp will bring him back when we are ready for them. I just don't want him to kill First Aid when he begins to take the samples you need." Starscream explains, flinching at yet another enraged mental roar coming from Thundercracker.

First Aid nearly loses the grip on the medical tool and pales at Starscream's words.

"Primus! He would have attacked 'Aid?" Ratchet asks in horror.

"Yes. As I told you, he doesn't understand these procedures. All he would see is someone hurting you and he would react accordingly to protect you." Starscream explains seriously.

"I suggest that you get this done fast. The longer Skywarp keeps him away from Ratchet the more irate he is going to be." He adds to First Aid, sensing how Thundercracker's fury grows by the klik.

Starscream knows that Thundercracker is going to punish them mercilessly for this, but right now it is more imperative to prevent the dominant from attacking First Aid when the younger medic takes the armor samples, than for him and Skywarp to avoid punishment.

The door into the medbay opens just as First Aid is about to take the first sample and Wheeljack looks in.

"Why is Skywarp continuously teleporting Thundercracker around in the air above the volcano?" The inventor asks, puzzled.

"Because having him down here right now would be detrimental to your survival." Starscream replies coldly, and he glares at the inventor until Wheeljack gets the message and leaves them alone.

"Hurry up. The longer this takes the less I can promise that Thundercracker won't do anything anyway." He urges First Aid. Thundercracker's desperation is increasing with every klik he is kept away from Ratchet and the newspark, and the dominant's rage is reaching a point of no return where everything can happen.

::Don't antagonize him too much, Sky.:: He warns and senses Skywarp's mental acknowledgement of his warning. The bond is full of Thundercracker's explosive feelings and it promises them intense agony when the dominant decides to punish them for this.

There are no further disturbances, and First Aid is swift to take the needed samples and deposit them in several test tubes. Some of the tubes are full of various chemical compounds able to break the armor compositions down into their smallest molecules, while others contain different catalysts, which test the armor's density and in addition makes it possible for them to examine the armor's integrity.

This time the wounds take longer to heal and First Aid begins to seal them, patching the gapes in Ratchet's armor to look as inconspicuous as possible.

"I'm done." He announces to Starscream a few moments later and stares at the almost invisible wounds on his mentor's frame.

Starscream leans down to examine the work and looks up with a nod of approval. He knows that the patches aren't going to fool Thundercracker, but there is no scent of energon or obvious sign of the wounds done to Ratchet's frame. He hopes it is enough to prevent Thundercracker from activating the protective coding.

"I will ask Skywarp to bring him back. Since I can't predict how he will react, I suggest that you step a bit away and take the samples with you." Starscream advises, and First Aid takes the trace with the samples and places it beside the microscope.

The armor samples need more time before they can examine the results, but the energon sample is ready to be processed. He empties the content of the syringe into the machine designed to split the energon into its core components, careful to avoid any contamination of the sample, and activates the process before he walks to stand at a safe distance away from Ratchet, ready for the enraged Winglord to return.

::We are ready for you to bring him back, but be careful, Sky.:: Starscream notifies Skywarp. His anxiety is visible in his taut wings and he knows that Skywarp is sensing his worry through the bond. With Thundercracker this enraged, it is impossible to predict what will happen when Skywarp brings him back.

::I will. You don't need to worry about me, Starscream. I have experience in dealing with him when he is in this foul a mood:: Skywarp answers calmly in an attempt to ease Starscream's worry. Then Starscream senses how the bond narrows down to a thin thread when Skywarp engages Thundercracker to teleport the Winglord back down into the base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to CalliopeGalaxy from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update 12/2-2016: Completely new content in this chapter! The chapter now begins with a new section, showing what is going on between the three seekers. I hope you like the new insight, and that it gives a better understanding of what Ratchet is watching playing out right in front of him. I have kept Ratchet's POV mostly unchanged, so you first get it from Skywarp's and Starscream's POV before we move to Ratchet's. My beta liked it, so I hope you do as well.:)
> 
> Warnings: Violence, Gore, Horror.

Skywarp's attention shifts from his narrowed bond with Starscream and back to Thundercracker just in time for him to barrel roll sharply to his left to avoid the dominant's ramming attack. They are both in alt modes, flying high above the volcano. Thundercracker prepares for another ramming attack and, in response, Skywarp initiates his teleportation, flickering slightly before vanishing out of existence. He reemerges on the other side of the volcano, out of reach of Thundercracker's optical and sensory sight, and transforms.

The last time he engaged Thundercracker while the dominant was in this foul a mood was during the Winglord's insanity, and their trysts back then always ended with him damaged in one way or another. He might know Thundercracker's weaknesses intimately, but he is also well aware of the Winglord's pure brutal strength when he isn't in his right state of mind.

Just like now…

He looks up when the sound of Thundercracker's powerful engine grows louder, and he steels himself for the confrontation. It is going to take all of his skills to pull this off. He knows that one little slip in attention, however small, is going to give Thundercracker the opening he needs to attack him.

It is a dangerous game he is playing, and Starscream's warning to not antagonize the dominant unnecessarily had been justified. Seeing Thundercracker emerge from the other side of the volcano, he tries to calm his rapidly pulsing spark, waiting patiently for the dominant to notice and charge at him. He needs to avoid the attack, but not get too far away either. However, if he stays too close, it is going to give Thundercracker the needed opening to follow up on the failed attack.

Thundercracker takes him completely by surprise when the dominant begins to transform mid-charge, and that small slip of attention is Skywarp's downfall. White optics greets Skywarp when Thundercracker's transformation is complete and the sight of them paralyzes him further. The protective coding is active in the dominant. He stands no chance to survive this.

Skywarp startles out of his paralyze when Thundercracker finally rams into him. The force and pain of their collision causes him to lose control of the narrowed bond to Starscream and it expands.

::Starscream!:: Skywarp's urgent shriek of panic startles Starscream when the bond suddenly and unexpectedly expands back into its usual strength. He has never before heard such spark-deep panic and desperation in Skywarp's voice and he gasps, clutching at his spark, at the excruciating flood of pain filling him from his black and purple mate.

::Skywarp! What's wrong?!:: He tries to reach out for Skywarp in an attempt to calm his distressed trinemate, but is stopped by an even greater flood of agony. Something has gone awfully wrong and Skywarp needs him, but he is unable to do anything. He can only try to ease the growing panic, fear and pain flowing from Skywarp's side of the bond.

::He got me. I can't get away from him. He has my wing!:: Skywarp's fear spikes and turns to terror when an renewed flood of pain fills the bond.

::Sky Above, Star! He is tearing it off of my frame!:: Then the bond is gone, vanishing into the void signaling Skywarp teleporting, and the few kliks it take for Skywarp to rematerialize is nerve-wracking for Starscream.

He senses Skywarp reappear a few mili-kliks before the purple mist begins to form in the center of the medbay, and fights hard against the urge to run to Skywarp's aid. If Thundercracker is influenced by the protective coding, then it is impossible to know what the dominant is going to do, and making a target of himself by running towards Thundercracker is the last thing he should do in this situation.

Skywarp's spark-chilling shriek of pain fills the medbay when the two seekers materialize inside the mist and a rapid flood of energon begins to run along the floor. The mist slowly dissipates to reveal more of the gory scene, and Starscream fears what he is going to see.

The vision that greets him fills him with terror.

Thundercracker has a merciless grip on Skywarp's right wing and has nearly torn it off. Energon is splashing from the injured wing hinge, flowing in an increasing stream along the floor, and he realizes that Skywarp is going to die from energon-loss if Thundercracker keeps mutilating him.

Thundercracker's side of the bond is full of deadly intent while Skywarp's is full of pain and desperation, and Starscream can only watch in growing horror as Thundercracker, with an insane roar of fury, begins to slash into Skywarp's midsection with devastating force, crumbling the black and purple submissive's plating.

Skywarp's vocalizer abruptly shorts out at the devastating attack and he nearly loses consciousness when Thundercracker's claws cause horrendous damage to his delicate inner circuitry. Countless energon lines are severed and several essential systems suffer critical damage. Skywarp won't survive another attack, and Starscream knows he has to act if he is to save him.

He feels his carrier coding activate, his intentions conflicting with the basic protocols prompting him to remain passive to protect the seekerling from harm. The submissive's carrier coding isn't as merciless as the dominant's protective coding and can be ignored, but it is never wise to do so. He ignores the itch to lay distance between himself and the enraged dominant, mercilessly forcing the coding into dormancy, before he runs towards Thundercracker in a desperate attempt to divert the dominant's attention away from Skywarp. Countless warnings fill his HUD, informing him about the dire consequences and futility of his endeavor, but he ignores them, because if Thundercracker kills Skywarp, then the sparkbond is going to drag him and Thundercracker down with their mate.

He has to do this, even if he risks his own and the seekerling's life. They are both going to die anyway if he doesn't.

::Don't do it, Starscream!:: Skywarp's voice is full of panic when he senses Starscream's intention, but then it is already too late. Starscream's distraction has succeeded and the dominant's protective coding targets him. Thundercracker relinquishes his hold on Skywarp with a roar of madness and turns to attack the new threat.

Starscream only has enough time to shield his cockpit, in an attempt to protect the seekerling from harm, before Thundercracker is onto him. The dominant's dangerous claws slash into his side and begin to tear him apart. The shriek of pain forced from his vocalizer is shrill enough to damage processors, and he is blind and deaf as excruciating pain, like liquid fire, burns its way through his whole frame.

However, even with the activated protective coding and the claws mercilessly tearing at his internals, he begins to get the feeling that Thundercracker isn't going to kill them. It isn't the same insanity that had overtaken the dominant when Megatron had controlled him, and it shows in the way Thundercracker deliberately avoids causing damage to his cockpit and the vulnerable seekerling nestled inside it.

Soon, the claws withdraw from the deep wound they have created in his side, and Thundercracker turns the attention to his wings, mercilessly tearing into them. It is nothing as severe as the dominant had done to Skywarp, but enough to strain the hinges and inflict several bleeding wounds to their surface. The growing loss of energon is draining him, and he is rapidly reaching the limit of how much punishment he can endure. As if sensing that Starscream is at his limit, Thundercracker stops mutilating him and instead lifts and throws him forcefully against the far wall, where Skywarp is huddled. Starscream's back slams hard. When he hits the floor beside Skywarp, he keeps his servos protectively against his cockpit.

* * *

To Ratchet, the violence is completely incomprehensible, and he stares in deep shock at the growing pool of energon flowing along the floor as Thundercracker keeps mutilating Skywarp, the large deadly claws mindlessly tearing the black and purple seeker apart.

He had completely forgotten how violent and brutal the seekers can be in the face of Thundercracker's gentleness.

This is the true Sire to his newspark and he trembles fearfully at the sight of the blue seeker's brutality.

"Come, Ratchet." First Aid's urgent voice startles him out of his epiphany. He turns to see the younger medic franticly disconnect the wires connecting him to the monitors, and allows First Aid to drag him off of the berth and further away from the insane Winglord.

The last thing he sees before First Aid leads him into one of the antechambers, the door slowly closing behind them, is Thundercracker releasing Skywarp only to tear into Starscream. The sight of the horrible claws effortlessly tearing into Starscream's plating, inflicting severe damage, fills his spark with paralyzing fear and he trembles violently at the sound of Starscream's agonized scream of pain.

Primus!

"He is killing them." He whispers in terror, collapsing to the floor in despair as Starscream's awful scream of pain continues for several long kliks.

It might be safer for him to be inside the antechamber, but the fact that he doesn't know what Thundercracker is doing to Starscream and Skywarp causes him immense distress. The sound of violence and the whimpers and screams of agony coming from Starscream fills Ratchet's processor with horrible images. Every image is worse than the other, spelling certain death and destruction for the two submissive seekers.

His nightmarish reverie is abruptly interrupted by the reverberating sound of a frame connecting heavily with a wall. The impact is followed by the sound of shattering cabinets and equipment falling to the floor, before everything goes quiet.

"Primus!" He whimpers in a barely-audible whisper. He stares with wide fearful optics up at First Aid when the silence slowly turns ominous.

The next moment the silence is shattered by the sound of Thundercracker's heavy steps coming closer, and Ratchet tries to steel himself for what is coming.

The door into the antechamber is torn apart by energon-drenched claws, and he is unable to look away from the hellishly white optics, when the blue seeker takes a menacing step inside the room. Thundercracker roars in fury at the sight of First Aid standing close to Ratchet, and the younger medic slowly retreats further back into the room and away from Ratchet until his back hits the wall.

Scared to his spark, Ratchet remains unmoving in the center of the room, paralyzed by fear, as the white emotionless optics studies him intensely. Thundercracker inhales heavily and grunts at the specific well-known scent filling his olfactory sensor.

/MINE!/ He rumbles pleased.

The heavy scent of the carrying submissive is marked by his own unique scent from their matings, and his protective coding purrs in satisfaction before it slowly begins to release its merciless grip. Thundercracker leans down to gently lift Ratchet from the floor before carrying him out of the antechamber, completely ignoring First Aid.

Ratchet looks around as they leave the antechamber, and stares horrified at the sight of Starscream and Skywarp cowering fearfully in a distant corner of the medbay. They are severely injured, with energon pooling beneath their frames, but they are alive and moving.

He wants to be by their side to ensure that they are going to survive their injuries, but Thundercracker gives him no chance to go to them. Instead, the blue seeker carefully lowers him down onto a berth and begins a thorough inspection of his frame.

It is a stark contrast to the violence Thundercracker committed just moments ago and it confuses him.

First Aid slips out of the antechamber while Thundercracker is distracted, and Ratchet's spark fills with relief when the younger medic hurries over to the two downed seekers and kneels beside them. The energon pooling beneath them is growing rapidly, seeping from several large and deep wounds on their frames, and the sight of it worries him.

A weak stuttered trill sounds from Skywarp when First Aid begins to assess the damage done to the black and purple seeker's frame, and Starscream murmurs something with a shake of his helm when the younger medic begins to ask him questions. Their movements, when First Aid needs access to the gravest of the damage, are weak and full of pain. Ratchet's optics fills with tears at the sight of them this wounded, and by their own mate no less.

How could Thundercracker do this to them?

He doesn't understand it.

He had expected First Aid to be the only one in danger when Thundercracker returned to them. He definitely hadn't expected the blue seeker to attack his own mates like that, and it shakes his belief in the Winglord. It makes him uncertain about his future among the seekers.

First Aid begins to seal the most urgent wounds, and Ratchet turns his attention away from the acute lifesaving triage to look up at Thundercracker. Compared to the hateful red during Megatron's control over the blue seeker, and their default expressive yellow, the white scares him the most. There are no emotions in them at all and it is as if Thundercracker isn't even there.

He knows it the instant Thundercracker locates one of the patches on his frame. The blue seeker tenses while the large wings stop in any movement for several long and nerve-wracking kliks. When the wings finally begin to move again it is in erratic patterns, and he winces when a claw tip, in suspicion, inspects the flimsy metal covering the wound beneath the patch. It is apparently all Thundercracker needs to know, and when the touch leaves and the pain vanishes, Ratchet knows that new troubles are brewing.

It is impossible to predict what the blue seeker is going to do about the finding, but he can see the large wings rise higher and higher in aggression as Thundercracker locates the rest of the patches. Finally, the white optics narrow and a low menacing growl begins to sound as Thundercracker straightens – done with the inspection – and looks incredibly intimidating and dangerous.

The white optics sweeps the room and to Ratchet's horror they land on First Aid where the younger medic is tending to the nasty wounds in Skywarp's midsection.

No.

No more.

No more!

There has to be something he can do to stop this from escalating again.

Driven by instinct, fearing what Thundercracker is going to do if he doesn't intervene, he takes one of the seeker's servos and leads it to his chestplates, above his sparkchamber, in an attempt to show the Sire to his newspark that he and their creation are safe and healthy. Thundercracker doesn't fight his touch, and it is a small relief to Ratchet when his touch diverts the seeker's attention back to him.

He swallows hard and bites his lower lip nervously, staring into the madness of the white optics, while he waits for something, anything, to happen.

At first there is no reaction, but then, after a few long kliks, Thundercracker's helm begins to slowly tilt in awareness and the blue seeker's claws knead possessively into his plating. The menacing growl silences abruptly and instead a small soft croon sounds from Thundercracker's vocalizer at the feeling of the new life pulsing within Ratchet.

A flood of relief fills Ratchet's spark when he sees the white optics begin to flicker. Soon the white color begins to dissipate, slowly replaced by the optics' common yellow coloration at the feeling of their newspark's steady and healthy pulsing.

"We are okay. There is no need for violence." He murmurs to Thundercracker, tears of relief filling his optics as he fights to keep his voice calm and even.

Thundercracker's attention shifts from his chestplates to his optics and all tension evaporates when the blue wings lower to their default position on the seeker's back. Ratchet stifles a small sob at the sight, all the stress in his frame threatening to overtake him. It is impossible for him to hold back the tears when Thundercracker calmly turns away from him and walks over to kneel down beside Starscream and Skywarp.

First Aid is hesitant when Thundercracker joins him at the two downed seekers, but Ratchet is overcome by elation and finally gives in to the flood of feelings overtaking him. He cries loudly at the sight of Thundercracker expertly tending to the horrendous damage the blue seeker has caused to the two submissive seekers.

A cacophony of beautiful gentle trills fills the medbay and the sound of their joined vocalizations as the three seekers reassures, apologizes and forgives each other, fills Ratchet's spark to the brim with deep affection for all three. In this instant, with the gentle peaceful sounds mending the fears in his spark, he can't feel anything but devotion for his new leader.

It is still a mystery to him why this happened in the first place, but seeing Starscream and Skywarp readily accept Thundercracker's treatment without any sign of fear, convinces him that no matter what it was that caused this to begin with, it is over and forgotten.

Calamity turns to serenity, and between Thundercracker and First Aid it doesn't take long to complete the most urgent repairs to the two submissive seekers. Thundercracker's nanites work wonder alongside First Aid's welder, and Ratchet finds peace in watching the younger medic interact and work this closely with the Winglord.

Unable to sit idle when the less urgent repairs commence, Ratchet rises from the berth and walks over to the energon dispenser at the door to pour several cubes for the damaged seekers. Starscream and Skywarp have lost large amounts of energon during the attack, and they need to replenish their energy levels to speed up their recovery.

Skywarp is eagerly reaching for the cube offered to him, and Ratchet smiles satisfied at the sight of the black and purple seeker consuming the fuel in large desperate gulps, while Starscream slowly savors his. Skywarp turns the cube bottom up, and Ratchet bursts out laughing when the black and purple seeker with a sad trill stares solemnly at the suddenly empty cube. With a hesitant reassuring caress to one of the lowered black wing, uncertain if Skywarp is going to accept the gesture, he walks back to the dispenser to pour some more energon for the obviously hungry seeker.

He enjoys Skywarp's cute antics so much that he completely forgets everything about Thundercracker's presence, and it startles him when the cube he is offering Skywarp on his third turn is taken by the blue seeker. Thundercracker's claws touch him gently and Ratchet releases his hold on the cube in shock, as if burnt by the touch.

Thundercracker's optics captivates him with their usual care when he warily looks into them and the blue seeker trills softly at the attention.

/Thank you./ Thundercracker vocalizes and adds a gentle lyrical trill to his vocalization to convey his gratefulness, aware that Ratchet still doesn't understand the seekers' spoken language.

Ratchet smiles a little at the soft considerate sound coming from the blue seeker, but he can feel how the smile doesn't manage to reach his optics. It still shakes him to know that Thundercracker is capable of suddenly turning that violent and attack Starscream and Skywarp, and he is naturally going to be hesitant around the blue seeker as long as he doesn't know the reason behind the sudden violent change.

Thundercracker sees the hesitation and his wings slowly droop in sadness before he turns his back to Ratchet, and Ratchet is left staring at the lowered wings and feeling awful at the sight.

Starscream sighs at how his creator's wings lower in reaction to Thundercracker's sadness. The red and white wings are still too small, but nonetheless try to fold around Ratchet to hide him from sight in a clear indication of the turbulent feelings inside his creator.

It is only natural for Ratchet to be shaken after what he witnessed.

Who wouldn't be horrified at the sight of the violence Thundercracker is capable of inflicting when influenced by the protective coding?

But even if it is terrifying to witness Thundercracker influenced by the protective coding, then Starscream is relieved that it turned out like it did, because he isn't sure Ratchet could have handled witnessing Thundercracker rape them as punishment.

Violence, Ratchet can understand, not the emotional pain it is to be taken against ones will, and the thought of Ratchet ever going through any kind of punishment steels Starscream's resolve to find a suitable dominant for his creator, someone close to Thundercracker's state of mind. At least he doesn't need to worry for his creator until the newspark has been born, and even after that Thundercracker is going to keep close optics on Ratchet when he is given to his new dominant protector.

"Take the time you need, Ratchet. It is all up to you to decide when you want to accept his advances again. He won't demand anything from you before you, on your own, willingly seeks his attention." Starscream reassures Ratchet gently while he, with a soft croon, caresses one of Thundercracker's lowered wings.

Thundercracker reacts with a flutter of the wing and leans further into the touch with a happy hopeful trill.

"I still don't understand what happened? Why did he turn this insane?" Ratchet asks, while he watches Thundercracker lean down to put a hesitant kiss to Starscream's lips. The hesitance evaporates when Starscream willingly reciprocates the kiss and there is an excited trill from Thundercracker, while the blue wings fan erratically before relaxing calmly again.

It is impossible not to smile at the sight of Thundercracker's open and contagious happiness when Starscream allows the advance, and the varying trills that keep flowing in a steady stream from the blue seeker makes Ratchet curious as to what Thundercracker is saying to Starscream.

Promises to never hurt him again?

Words of devotion?

Exclamation's of love?

He gets the impression that some of it must be about him, because Starscream suddenly turns his attention to him, instead of Thundercracker, and trills something to the blue seeker.

/He is smiling at you./ Starscream informs Thundercracker, trilling soothingly to the dominant.

Thundercracker's wings perk up further at whatever Starscream is saying to him, and he turns to stare expectantly at Ratchet.

Ratchet is still smiling stupidly at Thundercracker's contagious happiness and doesn't manage to hide it before the blue seeker is looking at him. But it falters at the sight of the expectant eagerness in Thundercracker's optics, and he takes a tentative step back at the intense attention.

Renewed sadness fills Thundercracker's optics at Ratchet's continued rejection, and the large wings lower dejectedly before the blue seeker once again turns the back to him. Any sign of Thundercracker's previous happiness is gone and Starscream coos soothingly, gently stroking the lowered wings.

"As I said, it is all up to you." Starscream states once again, accepting Ratchet's continued hesitance to allow Thundercracker closer as long as his creator doesn't know what caused it all to begin with.

"I want you to know that this is the first time he has hurt me and Skywarp like this. He doesn't like to hurt us and prefers punishment that leaves us less damaged when we do deserve it." Starscream adds in an attempt to ease his creator's worry, but knows that his words might cause Ratchet to worry even more. However, there is simply no gentle way to explain why this happened and it is the first time they have been the direct target of Thundercracker's protective coding.

"I don't know if I can explain what happened in a way you would understand, but you know how affected we seekers are by our coding, and what you witnessed is an ingrained aspect of the dominant seeker's coding. While the dominant is influenced by it, he doesn't recognize anyone around him and anyone stepping between him and the reason for the coding to activate are in danger." Starscream explains with a sigh, touching Thundercracker soothingly and leaning in to kiss the dominant gently.

There is a soft gentle croon from Thundercracker when their lips touch, and Starscream can sense the dominant's desperate need to merge and strengthen their bond.

/Yes, but later./ he murmurs against the desperate lips pressing insistently against his own, aware that most of the requested merge is going to be used to reassure Thundercracker about their continued love for him.

::I don't like hurting you.:: Thundercracker apologizes, saddened, and Skywarp floods the bond with deep affection in an attempt to reassure their dominant's current uncertainty.

::We know.:: Starscream answers softly before he breaks the kiss with a silent promise to reaffirm their sparkbond.

The attention from them and the clear promise seems to be enough for Thundercracker for now. Starscream smiles when the blue wings perk up in renewed happiness. Then he turns his attention back to Ratchet. His creator is studying their display with a tiny barely-visible smile, but he notices it and knows curiosity when he sees it.

"The protective coding is designed to activate at any sensed threat to the dominant's mates during their carrying, and while you aren't his mate, you are carrying his newspark. It is the reason for him to attack me and Skywarp. By removing him from your presence at a time where he sensed a danger to you, we became the target of it, and that we kept him from returning to your side just worsened it." Starscream finishes his explanation and smiles when he can see understanding begin to dawn in Ratchet's optics.

"Am I right in my assumption that something like this is what happened to the Decepticons a year back?" Ratchet asks in a careful voice, looking from Starscream's small smile to Thundercracker's still slightly lowered wings. He tries to connect the new knowledge from Starscream with the previously incomprehensible circumstances, which a year ago had led to the violent demise of the Decepticon's stationed on Earth.

"Yes, and it is the same coding he miraculously managed to suppress when the Autobots attacked him while he was in close proximity to you." Starscream answers dead serious.

It is still shocking that Thundercracker managed to keep from slaughtering the Autobots. It should have been completely impossible for the dominant to not trigger the coding and enter the protective madness to protect them from the attacking Autobots. But Thundercracker had remained aware enough to leave them and, instead of a massacre of the Autobots, it became a worldwide attack on the humans. He knows that he should feel sad and remorseful about the loss of human lives all over the planet, but he doesn't.

It is an aspect of all life to eventually die someday. It is something that he reluctantly has learnt to accept during the time he has spent among his true people.

Thundercracker can at any time be challenged for his position as Winglord and die, and the orn Thundercracker loses to a challenger will be the orn Starscream is going to die, when their sparkbond drags him down together with the dominant. It is a harsh fact and something he has had to accept as something, which is inevitably going to happen someday.

It is the fate of every Winglord.

They spread their superior coding and become the cause of their own death by siring the seekers capable of killing them and take over the position as the new Winglord.

/It's okay, Starscream./ Thundercracker's uncommonly soft voice interrupts Starscream's thoughts. Sensing the tricolored submissive's inner turmoil, he scoops Starscream into a close embrace when he sits down on the floor and rests his frame against the wall. Skywarp snuggles into Thundercracker's other side when he joins them on the floor a klik later.

/If I die, then I die and we will have eternity together in the Afterlife. I don't fear death as long as I have you and Skywarp by my side./ Thundercracker murmurs reassuringly and leans down to place a gentle comforting kiss to Starscream's forehelm.

/It isn't just your death I fear. It is also what we are leaving behind when it happens. With everything that is happening to Ratchet right now, I fear what is going to happen to him when we aren't there to protect him anymore./ Starscream answers with a tremble and melts into Thundercracker's strong embrace to draw on the comfort the dominant offers him.

/None of us can predict the future, Starscream. All you can do is trust that The Sky Above has a plan with this, but if that isn't enough, then have faith in me. I'm not going to give in, lie down and die. I'm always going to fight for the best for our people, no matter what happens in the future./ Thundercracker soothes, while one of his claws gently lifts Starscream's helm and he leans down to apply a chaste kiss to the submissive's lips. Skywarp silently, yet insistently, leans in further on the dominant's other side and chirrs happily when Thundercracker turns to kiss him as well.

/And if the best is another Winglord?/ Starscream adds hesitantly.

/Then I'm going to test him to his outmost. If he can defeat me, then he is worthy of the position./ Thundercracker answers in a voice full of unwavering confidence.

/Don't worry, Starscream. It requires a strong, cunning and versatile challenger to defeat Thundercracker, and so far Spitfire is the only one in our clan who might be capable of killing his Sire. I don't know how many dominants there are who are on par with Thundercracker, but I know that Spitfire doesn't want to lead and thus isn't a threat. Even if Thundercracker is encouraging him by constantly involving him in decisions./ Skywarp chimes in, in an attempt to ease Starscream's worry, and glares angrily at Thundercracker at the last bit. No one tells the Winglord no, not even the Winglord's own creations, and Skywarp has tried everything to get Thundercracker to leave Spitfire alone on the topic of taking over the leadership.

The Winglord's eldest dominant creation loves his carrier and Sire too much to cause them such harm, even if it is how their society work. Skywarp agrees that Spitfire – taking greatly after his Sire – would be a good Winglord for their people, but if the young dominant doesn't want to lead, then Thundercracker should accept it and not pressure him to kill his own Sire.

/There are currently twelve dominants capable of defeating me./ Thundercracker explains calmly, sounding completely indifferent, despite the fact that they are discussing seekers capable of killing him.

/But they accept my leadership for now, so there is no point in digging deeper into this topic. We will discuss this later, if issues begin to arise and there is a real threat to my position./ He adds strictly, closing the discussion. It is pointless to discuss his death. All it is going to accomplish right now is make Starscream even more worried than he already is.

Starscream nods in solemn acceptance of Thundercracker's words and curls firmer into the dominant while he tries to ease the worry in his spark.

It pains him to think about Thundercracker dying one orn, but the dominant is right, it is bearable as long as they are together. He simply can't imagine a life where he carries on without Thundercracker.

It would be an empty and pointless life.

/Don't think about it, Starscream. It won't happen. Our bond is going to make sure of that. You will never be alone./ Skywarp reassures him and leans in to comfortingly nuzzle his helm against the crook of Starscream's neck.

/You are mine, in life and in death./ Thundercracker states possessively and tightens the embrace around his tricolored mate. The words as well as the deep affection filling the bond from both of his mates are enough to calm the most of Starscream's worry for the future, and he relaxes into Thundercracker's embrace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to CalliopeGalaxy from FF.net for betaing this chapter.


	18. Chapter 18

"Starscream?" Ratchet's soft and hesitant voice disturbs the serene moment between the trine. Starscream uncurls from Thundercracker's embrace at the uncertain uttering of his name, turning his attention to where Ratchet is standing together with First Aid. Thundercracker and Skywarp curiously follow his gaze.

"Yes?" He asks, and rises to sit up in Thundercracker's lap to show Ratchet that he has his full attention. In his worry, he completely forgot their presence.

"I think I'm ready to allow his advances." Ratchet murmurs quietly, his words nearly a whisper. His gaze shifts nervously between the three seekers, but it constantly returns to Thundercracker and the calm innocent look in the blue seeker's optics. It clearly unnerves him to have their undivided attention, and Starscream can see how Ratchet's courage slowly evaporates despite the words.

"It is all up to you, Ratchet. If you aren't ready for it, then you don't have to do it. There is no pressure on you." Starscream encourages with a little smile.

His reassurance seems to bring back some of his creator's courage, because he sees renewed determination enter Ratchet's optics.

"How do I do it?" Ratchet asks, his optics now solely on Thundercracker. Thundercracker clearly senses the sudden change in him, because the blue seeker spreads his large wings and flutters them enticingly with an almost subsonic humming.

"Touch him. It is all up to you to decide how you want to show him that you welcome his advances again. You are the one in control this time. You decide how far you want to take it." Starscream explains seriously. Ratchet answers with a curt nod and gathers all his courage before he begins to walk the distance separating him from the blue seeker.

Thundercracker watches pleased as Ratchet walks closer, curiously studying the tilt of the red and white wings and the fiery determination in the expressive blue optics. There is an unintended challenge hidden in the carrying submissive's display, with the wings held just a tiny bit too high, showing aggression, but he decides to disregard it this time because they are alone.

Starscream cringes when he also notices the unintended challenge in Ratchet's wings, and stares nervously up at Thundercracker. He can't sense anything specific from his mate through their bond, and the dominant's expression shows nothing either, but Thundercracker remains unmoving, and slowly Starscream begins to relax. If Thundercracker had taken offence, then there would have been a reaction to the challenge by now, which means that Thundercracker doesn't intend to punish Ratchet for this.

::Thank you, Winglord.:: His words are humble, thankful, and full of the proper submissive intonations when he addresses his dominant as the Winglord. Thundercracker is in his full right to punish Ratchet for the transgression – they are both aware of that – and if there had been other dominants present, then Thundercracker would have been forced to react to the challenge and punish Ratchet for it.

But when they are alone, like now, it is all up to Thundercracker to decide whether he wants to take offence or not.

::I'm not merciless, you know that, Starscream.:: Thundercracker answers with warmth, ::It serves no purpose to punish him for trying to follow our ways. He is new, he needs to learn, but punishment is not the way when he doesn't even know how to properly act around his new people. It would be pointless and would just alienate him from us.:: He explains calmly.

Starscream smiles at the wisdom in Thundercracker's words, the last of the tension in his frame evaporating when he realizes the full meaning behind his mate's words. Ratchet is going to be safe from harm until he has learnt and understood the way of communicating with their wings and how to properly address dominant seekers.

::May I suggest Silvershade as his mentor?:: He asks Thundercracker hesitantly. He trusts Silvershade to take good care of his creator, and interactions with Allevaria and Salvacia are going to do Ratchet good when he is to integrate into their society.

::You don't want Crossfire to teach him our ways?:: Thundercracker asks with a light frown and looks down to meet Starscream's gaze, showing his confusion.

::I trust Crossfire as much as I trust Silvershade, but associating with Allevaria and Salvacia is going to do Ratchet good when we return home. He is a healer at spark, and he is losing that part of himself to this. Let him regain just a bit of it by being in their proximity.:: Starscream explains with a little sad smile.

Thundercracker nods in understanding and turns his attention back to Ratchet. The red and white wings still show the challenge, but he ignores it. He is just happy that the submissive seems to want his advances again. His optics glow with warmth as he watches Ratchet take the last steps separating them. The red and white submissive is now so close to him, that all Ratchet needs to do is to reach out to touch him.

Starscream slowly rises from his spot in Thundercracker's lap and moves to stand beside his blue mate to give Ratchet full and unhindered access to the Winglord's entire frame.

Thundercracker flutters his wings again and spreads them even further in an impressive display, inviting Ratchet to touch him. His spark almost skips a pulse when the invitation is taken, and he trills happily when Ratchet leans in and begins to trail gentle claws along the edge of his wings.

The carrier wants him again.

He offlines his optics in pleasure and soaks in the wonderful feeling of the gentle inexperienced touch to his wings. His impressive wingspan is clearly a challenge for Ratchet, and at some point the touch to his left wing vanishes, only to be added to his right wing, allowing the smaller seeker to touch a larger part of his most sensitive parts. He releases a deep throaty purr when the small claws reach his right wingtip and begins to gently fondle it.

Sky Above!

The touch to the tip of his right wing sets it on a pleasurable fire, and he hums in appreciation when the touch is repeated on his left wing. The pure onslaught of data the touch generates transmits through his whole sensornet as a surge of intense pleasure strong enough to momentarily paralyze his processor, and it takes several long kliks before the wash of sensation slowly abates enough to allow him to think clearly again.

The touch to his frame vanishes completely the next moment, and he is about to online his optics at the loss of stimulation, but it returns and begins to sensually move up along his frame. He purrs in contentment at the daring touch as the small claws begin to rub at his cockpit and up along his chestplates, activating several clusters of sensor nodes, until they reach and settle on each side of his neck. Pleasurable charge coalesces within his spark and his frame responds to it by heating him up in preparation for more pleasure to come.

A light hesitant touch to his lips causes him to finally online his optics, and he stares deeply into Ratchet's blue optics at the feeling of the kiss. The hesitance evaporates when he begins to reciprocate, and the blue optics offline slowly as the submissive's small claws move to hold his helm in a light gentle hold before the kiss deepens.

He groans into the kiss, tempted to offline his optics to thoroughly enjoy the pleasure it causes, but is taken by surprise when Ratchet's glossa gently demands entrance into his mouth.

His lips part on their own volition, and the submissive's glossa slowly snakes between his fangs and into his mouth. An unrestrained groan of pleasure escapes him at the feeling of the inexperienced glossa exploring every crevice of his mouth, and he reciprocates passionately when he has recovered from his shock, offlining his optics to increase the intensity of the kiss.

Arousal and hunger grows inside him and his spark pulse speeds up in anticipation of more, while his spark burns hotly within its chamber. He is so tempted to take control of their intimate interaction and lead them over the edge and into an all-consuming need that demands desperate release of the potent lust rising within him. It would be so easy for him to turn Ratchet into a withering mess if he takes control, and his growing arousal makes it hard to resist the temptation. He desperately hungers for more from the submissive, to sink his fangs into the smaller seeker's neck while his straining spike sinks into the submissive's welcoming heat and claims it, thoroughly.

But he can't.

This is a very important ritual, forged to strengthen or regain trust between dominant and submissive, and if he takes control, then he breaks the trust the submissive shows him right now.

Ratchet came to him willingly, offering him what he wants to, and Thundercracker needs to only take what Ratchet willingly gives him, without any claiming of his own.

It is with great effort that he manages to rein in control over himself and quell most of the fiercely rising lust inside him, before he completely gives in to it and breaks the trust Ratchet shows him. It is hard to do so, especially with the pleasure being added from their continued kiss, but he succeeds, and settles to calmly appreciate what the red and white seeker offers him. However, he has to admit that he desperately looks for any indication of the submissive offering more than just the kiss, but no such indication shows, and the kiss continues for nearly a breem while their glossae teasingly flirt with each other.

Thundercracker is breathing heavily when Ratchet finally breaks the kiss and turns away from him, walking away with his back and wings turned to him. And only sheer force of will stops him from reaching out to prevent the carrier from walking away and leave him burning with unfulfilled desire.

His frame yearns for release and he stares with broken hope at Ratchet's departing form as the submissive walks over to the grounder healer and begins to talk to it, seemingly not even aware of the emotions he has awakened inside him by the gentle touch of his lips.

/I know you want him, but now is not the time./ Starscream gently murmurs into his right audio, momentarily startling him out of his unawareness. Thundercracker turns to stare at Starscream, but before he can do or say anything, his tricolored mate leaves him as well, joining Ratchet and First Aid at the berth, and he is left alone with the intense feeling of the kiss and bursting with lust and longing for more.

"You are shameless, Ratchet." Starscream mock scolds with a mischievous smile as he walks over to the two medics by the berth, "You took him by storm, overwhelmed him completely, and then you just walk away, leaving him bursting with need and longing." He explains, casting a telling glance towards where Thundercracker is sitting, still staring at them, the dominant's smoldering optics full of unfulfilled desires.

"I did?" Ratchet asks, surprised, and follows Starscream's gaze. The almost hungry look in Thundercracker's optics causes him to blush and he looks away flustered.

"You did, but don't worry. It is healthy for him to not always get what he wants when he wants it." Starscream laughs good-naturedly.

"Can we resume the examination?" First Aid asks, determined to get the last part of the examination completed now that everything has calmed down.

Right now the energon sample and the armor samples are ready to be viewed in the microscope. All that remains of the examination is to complete the scan of the processor's internal systems, to determine the state of core coding and basic functions, and the full-frame scan of Ratchet's frame and processor, which is going to give them a detailed insight into the changes happening inside the CMO.

"Yes, you can continue." Starscream answers with a nod and turns to look at Thundercracker for a moment. The dominant stares longingly after Ratchet when the CMO lies down on the berth, but remains where he is sitting, leaned against the wall. Starscream smiles at the sight before he turns his attention back to Ratchet and what First Aid is about to do.

"Give me a moment to rig the scanner before we begin with the full frame scan." First Aid informs Ratchet before he activates the large ceiling scanner and moves it to hover high above the berth.

Adjusting the scanner's parameters to the required scan, the younger medic begins to calibrate the scanner, and in response it lowers to hover just a few inches above Ratchet, before its large moveable sides move to completely encase the CMO.

A system check follows where the scanner completes the final calibration. A verifying signal sounds a few kliks later, announcing that the scanner is ready to commence the scanning. First Aid activates the procedure and steps away from the berth at the sound of adjusting equipment. A klik later the full frame scan commences with blinding light shining through the gapes along the sides as the scanner scans Ratchet's frame.

It only takes a few breems to complete the full frame scan and the sides move into their default position again at the completion. There is a whirr and a verifying blip announcing the success of the examination and that the result has been saved in the scanner's databank.

Starscream turns his helm to look at Thundercracker when the dominant walks to stand beside him at the completion of the scan. He can sense that the scanner and the whole procedure intrigues Thundercracker, and he smiles warmly to him.

::Have you calmed down a bit?:: He asks teasingly.

::Yes.:: Thundercracker answers him curtly, optics solely for Ratchet, and Starscream's smile widens before he turns his attention back to his creator and First Aid.

Skywarp joins them a few kliks later, and he and Thundercracker watches curiously as First Aid extracts the scanning's result from its databank. Starscream silently chuckles at the intensity of their curiosity. To him this is a quite boring and common sight, but for Thundercracker and Skywarp it is clearly a deep fascination.

They both jolt in surprise when First Aid, with a flicker to a few latches, causes a smaller scanner to suddenly disengage from the larger scanner's frame, and a tiny laughter escapes Starscream's vocalizer at the sight of Skywarp's huge optics.

Thundercracker narrows his optics at the sight and takes a few steps forward to examine the strange occurring thing, poking at it. He retreats when he has deemed it non-threatening to his mates and Ratchet, but he keeps casting it suspicious glances.

Detailed parameters are inserted into the smaller scanner and First Aid moves it to hover above Ratchet's helm before he adjusts the sides to rest against the CMO's temples. He activates it a klik later and it begins to slowly circle Ratchet's helm, creating a thorough and detailed scan of the processor's physical composition all the way down to the smallest wires connecting the internal hardware.

::No, Thundercracker. This is what it does. It isn't causing any harm.:: Starscream explains soothingly when Thundercracker begins to growl threateningly, casting the scanner renewed calculating optics.

::I don't like it.:: Thundercracker rumbles. His claws flex slightly at the sight of the rotating device around the carrier's helm and he can feel his coding begin to stir slightly.

::I know, but trust me in this.:: Starscream answers calmly. Thundercracker's answer is a dissatisfied grunt, but his claws reluctantly relax again, no longer preparing to tear the scanner apart.

While the scanner circles Ratchet's helm it creates layer upon layer of images – several hundred thousand in total – and when the layers are viewed together, they are going to show the processor's current physical composition and the full extent of the changes to it and the systems connected to it. The procedure is time consuming and when the scanner with a whirr and a blip signals the completion of the scan, Starscream and First Aid are the only ones still standing by the berth.

The sound of calibrating equipment follows the completion when the scanner adjusts back into its default parameters and then stops moving a klik later. First Aid plugs into it and extracts the large amount of stored data in its databank and transfers the several heavy files onto a datapad. The result of the full frame scan is transferred to another datapad and the younger medic begins to review the content.

Thundercracker's interest and curiosity is renewed with the completion of the scan, and he rises from the floor where he is sitting with Skywarp in his lap. Skywarp protests at losing his mate's attention, but Thundercracker ignores him and walks over to gently caress along one of Ratchet's twitching wings.

The circling device around Ratchet's helm lost his interest after the first half cycle, when all it did was continue to circle the carrier's helm, and he had dragged Skywarp with him when he left Starscream alone at the berth to settle on the floor and enjoy his black and purple mate's company.

A deep sigh of pleasure escapes Ratchet's vocalizer at Thundercracker's gentle touch to his wing, and he turns his helm to look up at the blue seeker with a smile. Thundercracker easily pushes the large heavy scanner still hanging over the berth away, and kneels beside the berth before his claws begin to trail both of the red and white wings, massaging the stiffness and tension out of them.

There is nothing sexual in how Thundercracker expertly eases away the growing itch in his wings, and Ratchet begins to slowly relax into the touch, enjoying how it gradually forces the stiffness and tension out of them. Pleasurable warmth slowly spreads from the wings' sensornet and to the rest of his frame, lulling him into a docile state.

Releasing another sigh of contentment, he loses himself to the touch to his wings, and it is first when he feels the gentle touch of Thundercracker's lips against his own, that he realizes that he had offlined his optics. When he onlines them, Thundercracker is standing again, towering high above him beside the berth.

He breathes deeply and then smiles widely up at the blue seeker, feeling the lingering touch of the kiss on his lips.

"Thank you, Thundercracker. I needed that." He murmurs with warmth in his voice. All tension is gone from his frame and he is floating in a daze of contentment after the pampering of his wings. It feels so divine.

But his moment of complete contentment is shattered the next moment by First Aid's sudden outburst.

"Primus, Ratchet!" The younger medic exclaims in deep shock, and Ratchet turns his attention to First Aid.

"What is it, 'Aid? Is there something wrong?!" He asks, worried, and rises to sit up on the berth.

"You better see it for yourself." First Aid answers with an expression of shock and offers Ratchet the datapad he is studying.

Ratchet frowns as he begins to skim the content of the datapad, realizing that it is the result of the full frame scan and that he is looking at his chest area. His frown deepens as he studies the change to his sparkchamber, and it is then he sees it.

"Primus!" He whispers in awe, mirroring First Aid's exclamation.

His sharp digits tremble as he gently touches the surface of the datapad's screen.

He is so caught up in the sight of the tiny spark connected to his own inside his sparkchamber that the obvious change to his sparkchamber and its surroundings doesn't matter to him right now.

His newspark.

It is there, right in front of him. He didn't know it would be this visible already and his spark fills with warmth at the sight.

"My little one." He murmurs affectionately.

A small sob leaves his vocalizer and he lifts his gaze to look up at Thundercracker, a stupid happy smile on his face. He offers the datapad to the blue seeker and Thundercracker dutifully leans down to look at it, showing curious interest, but doesn't seem to understand what Ratchet is trying to show him.

"See. There. Our newspark." Ratchet explains as he points at the contour of the tiny newspark, while happy tears begin to fall from his optics, but Thundercracker just stares confused at the datapad and is more concerned by Ratchet's reaction.

Starscream leans in to help him explain, pointing insistently at the specific contour defining the newspark while trilling a series of lyrical intonations, explaining to Thundercracker what Ratchet is trying to show him.

Thundercracker stiffens completely for several long kliks as he listens to Starscream finishing his explanation, and he leans down to study the datapad with renewed intensity. One of his large claws moves to affectionately caress along the image before he looks up from it and meets Ratchet's optics. Ratchet can see the marvel in them and nods while his smile widens as he sees the growing understanding in the yellow optics.

"Ours." He murmurs.

He never thought he would ever get the chance to have a creation truly his own, and the gift the newspark is, is the greatest gift he could ever receive.

Thundercracker leans down to affectionately nuzzle his forehelm against Ratchet's, conveying his deep love and devotion, and Ratchet leans up to connect their lips in a passionate kiss, filling it with all his happy feelings at the prospect of experiencing what it feels like to give life from his own frame.

The memory of Starscream's carrier enters his thoughts for a moment. He recalls the way the dying seeker gently had freed the seekerling from the connection to its fading spark and how it had affectionately placed Starscream on its chestplates and protected the newly born seekerling with its servos before it died.

The memory touches his spark deeply, and the knowledge that his newspark is going to develop into something akin to Starscream fills him with a joy he never has felt before. But sad tears begin to trail down his cheeks at the lingering memory of the dead carrier and Thundercracker, sensing his sudden change in mood, croons soothingly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Ratchet, but the newspark wasn't what I wanted you to look at." First Aid's soft voice breaks into his moment of chaotic feelings. The younger medic leans over the berth and reaches for the datapad again. Ratchet hands it back to him and First Aid flickers a few buttons on it before he hands it back to the CMO.

"I want to hear your thoughts on that." First Aid explains, his voice full of curious bemusement.

Ratchet stares down at the datapad in his servos. It is now showing the complete overview of the full frame scan and his optics follows the line of his frame from helm to feet. Now that he no longer is caught up in the close image of his newspark, everything stands clearer and he sees the full extent of the changes that has and are happening to his frame.

It shocks him to see how much he already has changed.

"Primus, 'Aid, this is…" He looks up from the datapad and stares at First Aid, mirroring the younger medic's shock.

It is hard to find a word that describes his feelings.

Impossible?

Unbelievable?

"…me?" He slowly finishes the question, and returns his gaze to the datapad in disbelief.

Not a part of him is left untouched. Everything is changing, becoming alien, as foreign systems take over his frame. If his former comrades are shocked by his outer appearance, then what happens when they learn about the full extent?

He keeps staring at the scan of his wings. They are the most obvious change to his outer self, even if they don't look like much, and seeing the complexity hidden beneath the plating, he realizes why the seekers have a whole processing hub dedicated to their wings alone.

A labyrinth of interweaving sensor-nodes, data wires, tension cables, energon lines and various other systems controlling the wings lies beneath their plating, connecting the wings physically to his frame and processor, while enabling the wings to move in smooth complex patterns, at will, or by emotions.

He marvels at the miracle he realizes that the wings in truth are, and understands that they need their own hub to be able to process all the data being communicated back and forth as well as analyzing the complex data transmitted from the wings while in flight.

Pit, just communicating deliberately with their wings must take up an extreme amount of a seeker's processing power.

His gaze lingers on the wings for a while as he revels in their wonder.

The rest of his frame shows some of the same designs. The abundance of sensor-nodes and wires transmitting the sensations to his processor is startling, and the labyrinth of complex sensory networks connected to the systems in his midsection is mindboggling. They easily rival the complexity of the wings, and that is something he didn't think was possible by how intricate the wing design are.

It is clear to him, looking at the complex networks of sensor-nodes located thorough his frame, that his new frame is meant to feel, and he shivers delighted at the remembered overloads Thundercracker gave him during their two times of sexual intimacy. It is no wonder why it felt so intense if this is how his internals are wired.

He follows the line of what he guesses is his valve and frowns at the strange occurrence connected to its end. The gestation chamber with the flexible tubing leading up to the bottom of the sparkchamber is a strange contraption among all the foreign systems, and he only sees it because he is paying close attention to the developing systems surrounding the valve.

Forty centimeter in diameter, it easily vanishes in all the other systems taking up space in his midsection.

The flexible tubing garners his interest and he follows it curiously as it vanishes deeper into his frame, leading all the way up to his enlarged sparkchamber where it connects to it. Still unaware of what happens during a seeker's heat, it poses a mystery to him.

Once again he stares affectionately at his newspark before he turns his attention back to examining the many changes that have and are happening to him.

The forming of a second fuel tank holds another mystery, and he stares fascinated at the strange design.

Why does he need two fuel tanks?

And why is it reinforced?

Nozzles cover its surface and he can see small holding tanks connected to them surrounding the fuel tank. His processor works to solve the mystery as he studies the strange design, and it doesn't take long before a thought occurs to him.

The seekers are predators. They don't just feed on energon, but consumes their prey, and that means that they ingest large amounts of metal. The regular tank to energon isn't able to handle that, so they need another way to digest and convert it into useful resources for their frames.

Following that line of thought, another thought occurs to him, and he pales when he realizes what the presence of the second fuel tank in his frame means for him. His mindset is still that of a ground-bound and it is so easy for him to distance himself from the seekers, even as he is turning into one.

He is becoming one of the predators. He will need to kill to feed and the mere thought makes him nauseous.

Terrifying images flash through his processor. He imagines his former comrades' fearful optics as he attacks and kills them before he feeds from their greying corpses. The horribly gruesome scenario plays out just like he has seen the seekers do during the war on Cybertron, but this time with himself as the killer.

The nausea grows and his tank churns and protests wildly when he suppresses the urge to purge its content. Dizziness swamps his processor and everything around him blurs. A strong clawed servo gently steadies him when Thundercracker prevents him from toppling off of the berth. The datapad clatters into his lap when his grip on it grows slack and distantly he hears someone speak to him.

"Ratchet, are you okay?" Starscream asks him worriedly, and contours slowly returns to his sight when Starscream sits down on the berth beside him and stares into his pale blue, almost white, optics.

No, he is not okay, far from, and he shakes his helm in desperate denial to the question.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Starscream asks softly, his optics full of concern for his creator.

Ratchet offlines his optics and breathes in shakily, feeling how the cool sensation of the air flowing into his frame calms the urge to purge, and he breathes out slowly, releasing some of the stress in his frame with the air flowing out of his intake. It work wonders for the chaotic distress in his frame and his processor clears a bit as well.

When Ratchet slowly onlines his optics again, Starscream sees that some of the blue in them has returned, and it eases most of his worry.

"I just realized that Hound is right. I am becoming a predator, a killer, and I can't wrap my processor around it. Primus, Starscream, how can I kill another being and feed from it? How have you been able to cope with that?" He asks Starscream in a shaky voice, the urge to purge slowly returning and becoming more persistent.

Starscream's optics shows so much care and understanding when he leans in and hugs his creator in a tight embrace.

"It is okay, Ratchet." He soothes, "I had a hard time adjusting to it as well, and it didn't help that Thundercracker the first time dumped an Autobot right in front of me and expected me to kill and feed from it. It traumatized me. I still have nightmares about it, but Thundercracker at least now understands and accepts my reluctance to kill and does it for me." Starscream explains softly, fully understanding Ratchet's reaction to that new aspect of his life.

He knows it is going to be hard for his creator to accept that part of his new life, but he needs to, because Ratchet won't be able to survive without the added supplement of metal.

"Oh Primus, I'm going to purge!" Ratchet croaks, finally losing control over the urge to purge, and First Aid hurries to offer him something to throw up in.

Thundercracker's spark fills with confusion and worry at Ratchet's sudden and strong reaction, and he insistently prods at Starscream to get his mate to explain what has caused the carrier such distress. Starscream looks up at Thundercracker with a soft sigh when Ratchet begins to heave violently into the bucket First Aid offers the CMO.

::Don't worry, he is okay. He just realized that his change into one of us means that he will need to kill to feed.:: He explains softly to Thundercracker, caressing reassuringly along one of the taut blue wings.

Thundercracker remains silent, his optics turning distant at Starscream's words, and Starscream knows that Thundercracker is remembering the first time he had forced him to kill, and how awfully wrong it had gone. The painful feelings of uncertainty and fear flooding their bond from Thundercracker almost make him cry, and he senses how Skywarp fills the bond completely in an attempt to force out the melancholy overtaking the dominant.

::We love you, Thunder. Never doubt that.:: Skywarp soothes, his voice light and full of all his love for the blue seeker. He croons reassuringly when he envelopes Thundercracker's part of their bond in his deepest affections. Starscream mirrors his action and together they manage to force the depression away, even if Thundercracker still fills their bond with sadness and regret.

::We need to merge with him soon. I don't like to see and feel him like this.:: Skywarp comments solely to Starscream, worrying deeply for their dominant's mental stability.

It scares him every time Thundercracker reverts into the young insecure Winglord he was long before war happened to them. Their society has hardened during the war with the grounders and any show of weakness from Thundercracker is going to weaken his position as Winglord, emboldening the challengers to the position. As long as Thundercracker keeps a strong front and leads their people well, the possible challengers are going to accept him, but at any show of weakness, their faith in him as a capable leader dwindles.

::I agree. I don't think the examination of my creator is going to take much longer. Let's do it the moment we have him outside. Maybe take him on a joy flight and find a nice secluded spot?:: Starscream suggests with a little smile.

::That sounds good to me. Only the three of us…?:: Skywarp answers, wanting to have the moment for themselves. Ratchet is sweet, but a merge is something special for seekers and for them especially with their three-way bond.

::Only the three of us.:: Starscream agrees. He is sure Ratchet is going to be caught up in whatever result the examination leads to and won't mind being left behind with First Aid.

With that decided, they return their full attention to Thundercracker, while First Aid takes care of Ratchet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to CalliopeGalaxy from FF.Net for betaing this chapter.


	19. Chapter 19

"Do you still feel like purging?" First Aid gently asks Ratchet when the worst of his mentor's violent heaving slowly stops. Ratchet is breathing heavily down into the bucket, recovering from the strenuous convulsion of his frame while grimacing in disgust at the bitter taste and stale smell of the partially processed energon.

"No. I think it is over." Ratchet answers with a groan and urgently motions for the younger medic to remove the bucket. When First Aid has disposed of the bucket, he returns with a small cube of medical-grade energon, and Ratchet smiles weakly at the younger medic when he gratefully accepts it.

The medical-grade energon slowly flows down his intake, soothing the aches the heaving has caused to his systems. The thick liquid is like a balm, coating his intake, instantly removing the awful taste of the partially processed energon. A deep sigh of contentment escapes him, and he relaxes when the energon finally settles in his tank and stops the tiny painful convulsions coming from a completely empty tank. He offlines his optics and soaks in the feeling of calm suffusing his frame, everything around him for a moment forgotten.

"Have you recovered enough to talk about the result of your full frame scan?" First Aid asks when Ratchet after a while onlines his optics again, looking so much better than before.

Ratchet nods and leans back on the berth to silently stare up at the ceiling, his optics distant and thoughtful. Thundercracker is no longer by his side, but he can hear calm murmuring from Starscream, which tells him that the seekers haven't left completely. When did the seekers move? He didn't notice when Thundercracker removed the steadying touch from his frame.

Then he pushes the thoughts away and turns his helm to look at First Aid.

"I knew I was changing, but it surprises me to see the extent of how much I already have changed." He admits, choosing his words carefully. With a deep frown, he contemplates how he is going to integrate into his new society with the knowledge that he is becoming a killer. The worst of his shock has worn off, but he still feels nausea at the thought of killing another being. He is a medic, killing isn't in his coding, or wasn't. Can he even still call himself a medic when his coding is being demolished and he is unable to perform his duty?

He diverts his attention back to the tiles in the ceiling and follows their lines while he allows his thoughts to wander again.

"They are so complex, the seekers, with their advanced systems." First Aid murmurs as he takes the discarded datapad, studying the full frame scan again. His optics roams the wings and the complex systems in Ratchet's chest and midsection in deep fascination.

"There is no sign of your thrusters forming yet, even if there are new larger energon lines forming in your legs. Oh, and see, your jawline is changing. I didn't see that before." He comments a bit subdued due to Ratchet's passivity, but still clearly fascinated by the changes.

That seems to wake Ratchet from his lightly depressed state. He turns his helm again to curiously look at the younger medic. First Aid shows him the datapad and points at what has caught his attention.

The jawline is changing, becoming broader and stronger, clearly to accommodate fangs and sturdier dentas. He is hypnotized when he lifts a servo and touches a digit to feel at his jaw, and relief floods his spark when there is no indication of the fangs breaking through anytime soon.

He can't handle more right now. There is already too much going on. Too many shocks and surprises.

First Aid subspaces the datapad and hesitates before he offers Ratchet the other datapad.

"I know you have had a shock, but you have to see this as well." The younger medic explains softly, giving no indication of what is on the datapad, and Ratchet takes it as if it is a ticking time bomb.

It is the result of the processor scan.

When he flickers it online, a 3D image of his processor emerges on the screen and he stares tiredly at it. It comes without any surprise that there are changes to his processor as well, not with how much is going on in the rest of his frame. What does surprise him is the sight of the changes. Autobots and Decepticons are created with a total of three processing hubs, the 3D image shows five constructed and three more under construction.

He is going to have a total of eight processing hubs.

Just like when he installed Starscream's special comlink, he wonders why the seekers need so much processing power. He knows that one of the newly constructed hubs is the one controlling his wings, or he wouldn't be able to move or even feel them, but the other he has no clue as to what purpose holds. And the remaining three under construction are just as much a mystery to him, but he is sure he is going to find out when they are complete.

"I see what you mean, 'Aid." He replies tiredly when he has stared long enough at the strange new design of his processor. Just like Starscream's, his processor is now a tangled network of wires circling the hubs and connecting them to each other in an interweaving labyrinth of lines.

"You do realize what this means, right?" First Aid asks him rhetorically. The younger medic's voice is impossibly light, showing none of his emotions. It is a tone of voice Ratchet is intimately familiar with. One, he and every other medic, uses when they explain to a patient that there is nothing more that can be done and that the patient is going to die.

"Yes. It is irreversible." He answers in the same tone of voice.

First Aid nods solemnly.

It hurts to accept that there is nothing that he can do for his mentor.

They just got Ratchet back and are now losing him again, this time to the changes.

But, as First Aid thinks about it, maybe it is for the better.

It is clear to him that Ratchet, despite the recent shocks, seems to fit in perfectly with the seekers. His mentor's close interaction with the Winglord clearly speaks about the deep affection between the two. And he has to remember that Ratchet is sparked with the leading seeker's offspring. Thundercracker isn't going to let go on Ratchet or accept that they try to reverse the changes, had it been possible for them to do so.

The choice was already made for Ratchet the instant Thundercracker sparked him.

"I have decided to not do the examination of your spark and sparkchamber. I don't know if it is going to hurt your newspark, and I don't want to enrage Thundercracker again, but I guess you still want the scan of your internal systems?" He asks Ratchet with a sad little smile.

"Yes, I would still like that." Ratchet answers, mirroring the younger medic's sad smile and allows access to one of his still functioning medical ports.

First Aid withdraws a data wire from his wrist and moves to connect with Ratchet's systems.

Defensive systems rouse in frenzy the instant the younger medic plugs into him, and Ratchet has no time to warn First Aid before the attack happens. A deadly surge of potent energy is led directly into First Aid's connected systems, the force of it strong enough to throw the younger medic out of him and into the air, on collision course with one of the far walls.

Ratchet's terror at the sight of First Aid flying through the air transmits to Thundercracker, rousing him into action. The blue seeker turns sharply, his attention drawn to the red and white carrier and what is frightening Ratchet.

::Skywarp!:: Thundercracker orders in a split of a nano-klik.

Skywarp reacts on instinct at the sound of Thundercracker's unvoiced order, instantly dematerializing only to rematerialize in front of First Aid, absorbing the force of the younger medic's movement, and slams into the wall together with him, protecting First Aid from the devastating force of the impact.

First Aid stares shocked at Skywarp when the black and purple seeker, with several loud groans, collapses to the floor, bringing him with it. Skywarp is aware enough to not collapse onto him, and First Aid stares in what feels like an eternity when Skywarp's optics offlines for a few long kliks as systems recover from the shock of the jarring impact.

Starscream hurriedly walks over to them and chirrs something to Skywarp. The black and purple seeker answers with a few distorted trills, reassuring his mates that he is okay, but that he needs a moment to regain his equilibrium. Reassured that Skywarp is okay, Starscream turns his attention to First Aid and kneels in front of the younger medic.

"Are you okay, First Aid?" Starscream asks, optics searching him worriedly.

"Wh-what happened?" He croaks in confusion.

His systems feel like he just took a direct hit from one of Ironhide's cannons.

"You activated Ratchet's internal defense." Starscream explains with an apology, and reaches for the wire the younger medic had used to connect to Ratchet's systems. He studies it with a deepening frown, noticing that the first part of it is completely incinerated, while the rest leading into First Aid's frame is turned into unrecognizable molten slag.

"Primus!" First Aid exclaims, staring with wide optics at the destroyed data wire Starscream holds between two claws.

"Indeed." Starscream muses out loud, but snaps out of contemplative thoughts and discards the data wire.

"His systems are inaccessible to you. I didn't know that his defense would be online already or I would have prevented you from trying to enter his systems. It is going to kill you if you try to enter him again." He explains seriously, pinning First Aid with his most dire stare.

"But Ratchet-" First Aid begins to protest.

"No, First Aid." Starscream interrupts him, "Don't even think about entering him again. It. Will. Kill. You!" He growls the last words in a grave warning. He mercilessly fixates First Aid's optics with his own, determined to get the younger medic to understand what he by pure fragging luck just survived.

The intensity of a defensive attack from the internal defense is more vicious if the seeker is carrying, more potent and aware of threats to the systems. That is why Ratchet only suffered minor damage when he plugged into Starscream during the time where the seeker refused the trine coding. The internal defense just threw him out of Starscream instead of trying to terminate whatever had tried to enter the seeker's systems.

"Our internal defense is completely out of our control. It is almost a living being of its own. It needs to be like that to efficiently deal with the possible threats to our systems, especially when we are carrying. We don't have medics like you do. Instead, we rely completely on our self-repair, internal defenses and nanites to remain healthy." Starscream explains seriously. He grabs the ruined data wire, once again showing First Aid the extent of the damage done to it, in a silent warning of what is going to happen to the younger medic's systems if he dares to try to enter Ratchet's systems again.

"I see." First Aid answers thoughtful, reluctantly accepting defeat at the information given by Starscream. Once again seeing the extent of the damage, he knows that it is a miracle he survived, and that he won't survive a repeat of such an attack to his systems.

"We do have what is called healers, but they are extremely rare, since their abilities rely on spark sigmas." Starscream adds, offering the younger medic a servo to help him up.

"Spark sigmas?" First Aid curiously asks as he gratefully takes the offered servo. His systems still feel sluggish from the charged energy the attack had sent through his frame, and he wobbles slightly when he rises to his feet.

"You are already familiar with Skywarp's ability to teleport. And I'm sure you have seen Thundercracker's during the war on Cybertron, his ability to unleash sonic booms. Those abilities come from their sparks, thus called spark-sigmas. Not everyone has sigmas, I don't, and only Thundercracker knows how many exists and who possesses them." Starscream explains while he kneels to gently help Skywarp up from the floor.

"That's fascinating." First Aid states in awe.

Their sparks are still a great mystery and has always been a large part of their culture, centered on the Matrix. No one knows the true origin of the relic other than what ancient sloppily translated texts has told, and no one knows anything about Vector Sigma's origin. The super computer isn't even mentioned in any texts, it seemed to just exist as a part of their society without any history of its own, despite the fact that it was a marvel to behold.

First Aid wants to ask Starscream more questions, to learn more about the seekers' version of the mystery, but Skywarp groans in pain and whimpers as Starscream slowly steadies the black and purple seeker back onto his thrusters. One of the black wings are hanging lifelessly down Skywarp's back and he leans heavily onto Starscream when he begins to sway dangerously, unable to keep the balance with one of his wings unresponsive.

With a gentle croon, Starscream leads Skywarp over to a nearby berth and begins to treat the injuries with nanites. First Aid is about to follow them, but when Starscream begins to cough up nanites, he realizes that they won't need his help in repairing Skywarp. Instead he turns his attention to Ratchet.

It surprises him to see that Thundercracker is resting on the berth together with Ratchet. The blue seeker's large wings are hanging lazily down the far side of the berth, while the seeker's strong arms are encompassing and restraining Ratchet completely. A large clawed servo restricts Ratchet further, forcing his helm back to expose his neck. The embrace is possessive, and Thundercracker is keeping Ratchet silent in a fierce kiss, his yellow optics fixated intensely on First Aid as the younger medic carefully walks closer.

Thundercracker growls threateningly when First Aid gets close enough to see that Ratchet is struggling against the blue seeker, trying desperately to get free from Thundercracker's possessive grip. A constant flow of tears runs down Ratchet's cheeks as he frantically fights to break the silencing kiss, but Thundercracker doesn't relent.

First Aid is in turmoil about what to do.

He is quite certain that Thundercracker is going to attack him if he tries to reach for Ratchet, and he doesn't dare move, unsure if that is going to tick the Winglord off as well.

In rising panic, seeing Ratchet's fear so visible in the wide watery optics, he slowly turns to helplessly stare towards Starscream and Skywarp, silently pleading for help.

Thundercracker means well, he is certain of that, but this is too much for Ratchet right now.

Starscream turns, as if sensing his stare and it only takes the tricolored seeker a nano-klik to understand the situation.

/THUNDERCRACKER!/ Starscream roars in fury and moves into action. He is by Ratchet's side instantly, slicing into the dominant's possessive grip until Thundercracker lets go of his creator.

There is some fierce posturing from both seekers. Thundercracker bares his fangs threateningly, snarling in rage at his mate's disobedience, and Starscream mirrors him a klik later, too angry to cower at the rage in the dominant. In growing anger, Thundercracker straightens and towers dangerously above Starscream, his blue wings raised high in aggression as he spreads them wide in a show of dominance. In turn, Starscream bends slightly in his knees, steadying his balance-point, while he defiantly raises his own wings and flares them as high and wide as they can go.

He is prepared for the attack he knows is bound to happen, if Thundercracker chooses to punish him for his defiance, and doesn't care for his own wellbeing as long as Ratchet is protected from the Winglord's excessive overprotectiveness. Meanwhile, a flurry of communication floods their bond. Finally, after a long intense breem, all aggression bleeds from both their frames, but Starscream's wings are held a slight bit higher than usual, signaling him as the winner of their internal argument.

Ratchet bolts from the berth the instant Thundercracker let's go on him, and he almost tackles First Aid to the ground.

"It is okay, Ratchet. I'm okay." First Aid soothes, hugging Ratchet's trembling frame.

"Primus, 'Aid. I thought I had killed you!" Ratchet exclaims through tears, gripping onto the younger medic's frame as if it is a lifeline.

"But you didn't." He states calmly, gently shushing the CMO.

"I'm so sorry! It happened so fast. I had no chance to warn you." Ratchet sobs, clinging even more to First Aid, his grip so fierce that his sharp digits begin to breach the younger medic's plating.

"It is okay, Ratchet. Don't think about it. Starscream says it's your internal defense acting up, which means that it is impossible for me to perform a scan of your internal systems." He explains, deciding not to tell Ratchet the extent of the damage caused. It is just going to horrify the CMO even more and they don't need that right now.

"Forget the internal scan. All that matters to me is that you are alright." Ratchet answers as sternly as anyone can with tears still running down their cheeks. His desperate grip on the younger medic intensifies just for a moment before he slowly eases it, and First Aid winces at the feeling of the wounds created by the clawed tips.

"Are you okay?" Starscream interrupts them when he kneels down beside Ratchet and draws him into a close affectionate embrace. His wings are still flared in aggression from his heated argument with Thundercracker, sending clear signals for the dominant to stay away.

"Yes. Thank you, Starscream." Ratchet answers with a little smile, leaning into the embrace. His gaze moves to linger on Thundercracker. The blue seeker is standing paralyzed beside the berth, his wings unusually subdued, and Ratchet's spark fills with empathy at the anguished look in Thundercracker's distant optics.

It is rare for dominants to cry. They are the protectors and can't show the same weakness as the submissive seekers do, but right now Thundercracker is on the verge of breaking. Despair and fear of losing the carrier's trust, of seeing hate and fear enter the red and white seeker's optics, a hate directed at him because of what he did, fills his spark with grief.

What did he do wrong?

Starscream's harsh words over their bond, telling him what he might have done and warning him off, repeats on loop in his processor as his despair grows and the first tear trails down his cheek. The feeling of the wet trail shocks him, and he lifts a claw to caress it away, staring incredulously at the wet shine on the tip.

"Thundercracker."

He startles at the sound of the soft voice and diverts his attention to the red and white seeker suddenly standing in front of him. His gaze moves from Ratchet and to Starscream, uncertainty showing in his optics, but his tricolored mate just turns the back to him and walks over to finish his treatment of Skywarp, leaving Thundercracker alone with Ratchet.

"Thundercracker."

He offlines his optics in relief when the submissive begins the ritual, soaking in the affection showed in the gentle caresses that tells him that he hasn't completely lost the carrier's affections. The next moment he onlines them again and decides to for once interrupt the ritual, but he doesn't intend to take, only give.

Ratchet startles and takes a small step back when Thundercracker begins to kneel in front of him. The large blue wings move when Thundercracker reaches for him, embracing him with their greatest care, and when Ratchet leans into him, accepting the affectionate hug, Thundercracker feels how the worry in his spark slowly eases.

/I love you./ He purrs gently into the red and white seeker's audio, well aware that Ratchet doesn't understand the words.

A look towards Starscream has him staring into his youngest mate's affectionate optics.

::You are a good dominant, Thundercracker, but you are a bit too overprotective at times.:: Starscream explains calmly, any lingering aggression completely gone. ::Do you want me to translate your words?:: Starscream asks after a small hesitation.

Thundercracker looks down at Ratchet and how openly the red and white seeker welcomes his show of affection. ::No.:: He answers with a small shake of his helm.

It is better for the carrier to not know what feelings he harbors for him. Ratchet doesn't belong to him as his submissive, only as the carrier of his newspark, and when the seekerling is born the red and white seeker is going to belong to another dominant. Thundercracker will then have no claim on him, other than being the Winglord.

::I know you will find him a good dominant, if not the dominant finds him first.:: Starscream adds with a sad smile to the melancholy once again rising inside Thundercracker.

Thundercracker nods, melting into the feeling of the red and white seeker hugging him back.

Ratchet is the one to break the hug a breem later, slowly taking a step back and easing out of the blue seeker's embrace. Thundercracker is reluctant to let go, and first when Ratchet leans in to gently kiss him on the lips does Thundercracker allow him to leave the embrace of the large wings.

First Aid is standing by the microscope, studying the test on the armor samples, when Ratchet walks over to him.

"There is no change to your armor density or integrity." The younger medic comments when he senses his mentor walk up to stand beside him, not lifting his gaze from the sample in the microscope as the test of the armor's density is performed.

"What about the composition?" Ratchet asks curiously.

"It is normal except for a few anomalies to the innermost layers of your armor." First Aid answers and lifts his gaze from the microscope to offer Ratchet the datapad holding the results.

"What kind of anomalies?" Ratchet asks, bemused, when he takes the datapad and begins to scroll through the results.

"I have been unable to identify some of the compositions. They turn up as unknown to our medical database." First Aid explains with a frown.

"Unknown?" Ratchet muses interested and scrolls through the long list of compositions. Their armor composes of 84 different compositions and as he scrolls down the list, they are all listed within their right parameters. When he reaches the bottom of the list, five unidentified pops up. Their parameters extremely high, marking them as key compositions.

He looks up in surprise, meeting First Aid's gaze.

"This can't be right."

"I have run the test several times, Ratchet. It shows the same result every time." First Aid points out, reading the CMO's thought that something must be wrong with the test.

Ratchet looks down at the datapad again, thoughtful.

"Have we ever run tests on seeker armor to actually determine its compositions?" He asks, piqued, frowning at the result.

"Not this thoroughly. I remember we did a bit on Starscream in his early stages, but only a few scrapes on his outer armor. These compositions seem to only exist in the innermost layers of your armor." First Aid answers.

Ratchet's frown deepens at yet another mystery. There is no doubt about what it means, but he would still like to know what the purpose of these compositions is if not to strengthen the armor. Since they are key elements, they clearly hold great importance.

"What of the energon sample?" He asks, leaving the mystery for later when he can persuade Starscream to give up a sample to compare with.

"I haven't looked at it yet." First Aid answers, walking over to the machine still working on the energon sample. Stopping the process, he takes out several small tubes.

Their bodily energon consist of four core components, each having their own purpose in keeping the frame functional and energized. The most essential of those are the purified fluid filling their energon lines, transporting the energy to all their systems. It is mainly that part they replenish through drops if a mech loses too much energon. The other three components are actually what keep their frames running with energy. It is those that they are able to split from the basic purified fluid their energon mostly consist of.

Applying a drop from one of the tubes onto a clean microscope slide and covering it with a cover glass, First Aid inserts the sample in the microscope and leans in to study it.

The sample of purified fluid looks completely inconspicuous as he adjusts the strength of the microscope to study it closer. Usually, if a mech is sick, the fluid will be cloudy, but Ratchet's looks clear and healthy.

"Everything looks good. There is no trace of the disease or anything else happening to your energon." He replies after a while, withdrawing the slide to insert another.

The study of the second and third sample shows nothing unusual either, and First Aid smiles reassuringly when he inserts the fourth slide.

"What the-…?!"

Ratchet straightens at the younger medic's outburst and watches nervously as First Aid leans in further against the microscope, clearly studying whatever has him surprised.

"You have to see this." First Aid murmurs excitedly before he withdraws from the microscope and gestures for Ratchet to take a look.

First Aid's strong reaction fills him with dread at what he is going to see, and Ratchet hesitates.

What has First Aid this excited?

The sight that greets him when he finally gathers enough courage to take a look shocks him.

His energon is alive or there is something in it that is alive, moving around.

He lifts his gaze from the microscope, wide optics meeting First Aid's eager ones.

"What is that?!" He asks, almost demands, horrified.

"I have a vague idea. Starscream treated Sideswipe with nanites, and I think that this is something similar, just inside you…" First Aid explains, but then he hesitates, optics widening.

"Primus! It must be your internal self-repair! And…"

"OH PRIMUS! Starscream transfused some of his energon to you! Their energon must be a part of their internal self-repair. Something must have gone wrong and instead of just healing you of the disease it is attacking all of your systems. It is the internal self-repair that is changing you!" First Aid's exuberant exclamation is like a stab to Ratchet's spark.

This is what the god meant about Starscream?

An infusion with seeker energon and you are changed into one?

No, it can't be that easy. There must be something else going on. Starscream might have started it, but Ratchet is certain of the god's influence as well. Why else would Primus seek him out as the god had?

He frowns, staring at the microscope in contemplating silence.

"We need to be certain about this. We need to copy the circumstances under which my change began. Get a syringe, First Aid. We are going to use your energon." He states aloud.

First Aid offers him a syringe and he fumbles a bit before he manages to take a sample of the younger medic's energon. He fills a petri dish with the clean energon and adds a small amount from the fourth tube to it. They wait a few breems to allow the two fluids to mingle and react with each other before he places a drop on a slide and inserts it in the microscope, leaning in to study the result.

To his surprise nothing has happened and he leans back with a deepening frown. First Aid leans in to take a look and frowns as well.

"What are we missing? Why isn't it reacting to my energon?" First Aid wonders bemused, so certain that they had found the answer to why Ratchet began to change.

"You are right. We are missing something." Ratchet realizes. He walks over to one of his work benches, rummaging a bit before he withdraws a batch of test tubes.

"This." He explains and holds up the long row of tubes housing samples of various diseases. They mostly use them to create serums in case a disease breaks out among the crew.

A new sample of First Aid's energon is taken and a new petri dish is filled before Ratchet carefully choses among the tubes housing the various diseases. He offers the chosen tube to First Aid, realizing that with his new digits he is unable to handle the procedure with the care it needs. The disease isn't going to kill anyone if it is spread, but it is a waste of resources to spend time curing something that they could have prevented from spreading in the first place.

"One drop." He warns the younger medic.

First Aid nods in serious acknowledgement, taking the tube with steady servos. He carefully opens the lid and withdraws a tiny amount with a pipette. One drop is added to the sample of clean energon and then he decontaminates his servos when the tube is placed back among the others.

Once again they wait for a few breems, allowing the disease to infect the energon, and then they add a few drops of the infected energon to the other petri dish.

The energon is stirred to make sure the fluids mix before Ratchet takes a sample drop and adds it to a slide and inserts it into the microscope.

Unsurprisingly, the reaction is instantaneously.

The internal self-repair located in his energon instantly attacks the infected energon, killing the disease, but then something peculiar happens. Before his optics, he watches as First Aid's energon changes a bit in its compositions while the living beings located in his energon multiplies in frenzy.

"You are right. This is how it happened. The disease acted as a catalyst. It activated the self-repair in Starscream's energon and it must have seen my whole frame as a mutation. It is trying to reverse it back into what is within its normal parameters." Ratchet whispers, unbelieving, looking up from the microscope.

"But that means-" First Aid protests as he leans in to study the sample in the microscope.

"That it isn't just me. Everyone can be changed if the right circumstances are present." Ratchet finishes when First Aid stops midsentence to marvel at the sight in the microscope.

"An infection." The younger medic murmurs when he lifts his gaze to stare in wonder at Ratchet.

"And an infusion with seeker energon." Ratchet adds thoughtful.

"But how is this even possible?" First Aid asks, confused. There are still so many unanswered questions and he doesn't understand the reason for this to happen right now. The procedure is simply way too easy to not rouse suspicion in him. Nothing this radical is ever this easy.

"I don't know, 'Aid, and I wonder what Thundercracker is going to say to this." Ratchet sighs, worry filling his spark. It is impossible to know how the Winglord is going to react to this bit of information.

"He already knows." They both turn around at the sound of Starscream's voice and stare as the three seekers walks over to them.

Thundercracker is completely unreadable when they stare up at him. Nothing gives away what thoughts fill the blue seeker's processor, and the pulsing of their sparks increases. Ratchet's wings begin to twitch nervously when the silence stretches on.

They need to know what Thundercracker is going to do with this information.

"Ratchet." Starscream murmurs softly to get their attention. When they turn to look at him, his expression is dark and full of foreboding severity.

"Every single one of the Autobots has to go through the change. There is no compromise. If they don't, then they become prey for us. Thundercracker can't protect them if they remain grounders, he can't justify protecting them if they refuse. This is already going to be a mess when we return home, and he can't afford to be seen as weak. Your survival relies on him remaining in power. Do you understand that?!" Starscream's optics burns with determination as he mercilessly fixates Ratchet's gaze.

First Aid takes a step back in shock, optics staring between the three seekers to finally land on Ratchet.

"You can't be serious!" He exclaims in rising panic.

Thundercracker flares his wings and bares his fangs threateningly, reinforcing Starscream's words with a vicious hiss.

Become one of them or die.

"You will be given time to think about your answer, but expect us to demand your answer when we return. We will take our leave for now." Starscream supplies, gaze softening momentarily. Then the three seekers turn around in sync and walk out of the medbay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to CalliopeGalaxy fron FF.Net for betaing this chapter.


	20. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Don't worry, this isn't where I tell you that I don't intend to finish my work on this story. In fact I am creating this author's note to inform you all that I have now updated betaed chapters from chapter 1-14, and I have chapter 15-17 ready to be reviewed by a beta, but unfortunately it looks like my beta has vanished off the radar. I will try and find another one to continue the work if she doesn't resurface within a reasonable time. It would be such a shame, since we work so well together.
> 
> I am finally returning to writing after nearly a year with medical induced writer's block. My real life was really hard on me in the beginning of 2015 and i had to turn to anti depressants to prevent a depression from developing. Things have stabilized and I am now slowly dwindling the doses. But the effect of a lower dose has been immediate, which allowed me to return to Origin and work with the chapters.
> 
> Happy New Year Everyone.
> 
> Tolaya
> 
> Update 01.05.2016: Finally finished betaing the existing chapters and working on the next. New content takes a bit longer since I decided to scrap most of the rough draft i had on the next chapter and rewrite it to flow better. Be patient.:P

Cybertron, approximately five orns after Thundercracker's departure:

Crossfire stares affectionately down at Starfall. His black and blue trinemate is resting in the center of their resting area with the beautiful striped wings curled protectively around his vulnerable frame. Within the protective barrier shielding carrier and creation from the outside world, the submissive is strengthening and nurturing the fragile bond forged with the newspark now nesting beside his own spark, filling their connection with all his love. There is simply nothing more beautiful than the sight of a carrier in the very first moments of the carrying period. Crossfire's bond with the newspark is still non-existent. His connection to his unborn creation is first forged when the seekerling is born and it will strengthen through interactions with the newly born as he teaches his creation their way of life.

With a gentle caress to one of the shivering wings, he rises and allows Risingsun to take care of their sparked trinemate.

/Take good care of him. I have to go and see Swiftstrike, but find me if anything happens. I don't care if you have to disturb us. Just find me, okay?/ He murmurs softly to Risingsun. Risingsun answers with a silent nod and curls protectively around Starfall when Crossfire begins to walk away.

The sparking had been hard for both submissives.

Crossfire had been on patrol when Starfall's heat had surfaced. Flying above the remaining ruins of what was once one of the grounders' massive clan areas, he had been unaware of Starfall's peril. But even if he had been aware of the rise of the heat, he wouldn't have been able to get home fast enough before it turned painful for his heat-suffering trinemate. Risingsun had tried his best to help Starfall through the waiting time, silently enduring the violent outbursts from his suffering trinemate. It had turned so violent that the temporary Winglord had had to step in and send messengers to intercept Crossfire and urge him to return home as fast as possible.

One of the messengers had met Crossfire at the edge of the clan border and he had received the urgent news. His spark had filled with guilt, and he had hurried towards the center of the clan territory and the large clearings housing their resting areas. Starfall had pounced on him the instant he had landed, desperate to sate the heat, and the alluring scent of his trinemate's heat had assaulted him mercilessly. It had brought him to his knees, filling him with a maddening rush of arousal and a desperate need to claim his suffering submissive.

He recalls the vivid image of how Starfall sensually had laid down on the ground, open and inviting, and it rouses a renewed fire within his spark. But he forcefully suppresses it. Now is not the time. Swiftstrike has demanded his presence and he can't delay any more than he already has.

Swiftstrike has been uncommonly silent ever since Thundercracker temporarily transferred leadership to him and left. No one but the temporary Winglord knows why their Winglord left and where to, and the silence following Thundercracker's absence worries them all.

Leaders from the strongest clans have been by the 'Swiftstrike' clan, requesting audience with the temporary Winglord, to be informed about the reasons for Thundercracker's departure and missing return, but Swiftstrike keeps silent and Spitfire eventually forces them to leave.

So little time has passed since Thundercracker brutally cemented his continued position as their Winglord, reestablishing the rightful order in the hierarchy defining the clans, and to suddenly be leaderless again fills them all with fear of the future. The fact that Spitfire is almost glued to the temporary Winglord in Thundercracker's absence just intensifies the general worry for a violent aftermath when the Winglord finally does return. Thundercracker's absence fuels his challengers' boldness. Fights among the most powerful dominants are bound to happen, to rearrange the intern hierarchy among those vying to become the next Winglord.

It is going to be a bloodbath.

And this meeting with Swiftstrike, so late and in a secluded area of their clan, tells him that something isn't right. His instincts are screaming about an unseen danger and his wings twitch nervously.

Where is Thundercracker?

Why did the Winglord leave them again?

As he walks through the clearing, he can see that most of their people already are recharging or about to. It is a highly uncommon time for a meeting of the kind Swiftstrike has requested.

Walking towards the edge of the clearing, he sees the outline of Swiftstrike's wings in the dim darkness. Spitfire is standing a short distance away from the clan leader, his yellow optics staring intently at Crossfire as the red and grey seeker walks closer. The red dominant's optics narrows, and Crossfire stops at short distance away from the temporary Winglord at a warning hiss from Spitfire, waiting for Swiftstrike to acknowledge his presence.

/You wanted to see me, Winglord?/ He murmurs to get the clan leader's attention, his wings held in an respectful tilt. Swiftstrike is standing with his back and wings turned to him, whole attention on the sky, clearly trusting Spitfire with his life.

Spitfire is his creator's creation, visible in both frame and mind, and Crossfire can see why Thundercracker encourages the younger dominant. Spitfire possesses the same love and care for their people as his Sire, and while he is high ranking, he isn't as violent as most other dominants holding the same rank. He is confident in his strength and power, but doesn't utilize it uselessly. He defends what is dear to him, and follows his Sire's examples. Thundercracker might feel that his encouraging of the young dominant is a failure, but Spitfire actually learns and uses the knowledge the Winglord teaches him in his own ways, shaping his own identity.

Just like Thundercracker, Spitfire is a defender.

Most Winglords are defenders. Through their leadership they strive to shield and protect their people with their stronger frames and improved skills. Opposed to the defender Winglords, some Winglords have been fighters, enacting wars on the ground-bound transformers sharing the planet with them. Death and destruction has followed in their wake, reducing the people's numbers dangerously. Usually, following a fighter Winglord, a defender Winglord takes over, unable to sit idle and watch while the people suffer. Fighter Winglord's never rein for long, but their influence on the people are great.

With Thundercracker as a defender, it is most unlikely that Spitfire ever is going to challenge his Sire. There is nothing prompting him to intervene and kill Thundercracker. If he had existed during Thundercracker's insanity, then he might have reacted, but he didn't and his birth cured Thundercracker of most of it.

Crossfire lowers his wings in submission to Spitfire's powerful presence, and slowly walks the last distance to stop beside Swiftstrike when silence is his only answer. Not even then does the temporary Winglord acknowledge his presence, and Crossfire lifts his gaze to stare up into the night sky, mirroring the clan leader.

He silently watches Swiftstrike out of the corner of his optics. Something is clearly troubling the other dominant, and Crossfire silently waits for when Swiftstrike decides to tell him the reason for this meeting.

He is Thundercracker's lieutenant, only superseded in power by the members of the Winglord Trine, and whatever the temporary Winglord has called him here for, it has to be extremely important.

/I have orders for you, Crossfire./ Swiftstrike answers when he finally breaks the silence. He turns to face Crossfire, his expression cold and calculated.

Crossfire responds with a silent nod and a flicker of a wing to indicate that he is listening, but remains otherwise unmoving, waiting for Swiftstrike to elaborate his orders.

/As you know, Thundercracker has been gone for five orns now. What you don't know is the reason for him to leave and the orders he gave me at his departure. I had hoped that he would have returned by now, but he hasn't, and thus I have orders for you from him./ Swiftstrike begins to explain, his voice gravely serious, and Crossfire can feel the feeling of an unseen danger coalescence even more within his spark. He has unconsciously waited for this moment to happen, without knowing what he was waiting for.

/You are to lead a strike force to locate him wherever he is, if he hasn't returned within a solar cycle. That time grows near, and I have taken the liberty to contact some of the other clans to request the amount of seekers you will need./ Swiftstrike continues in the same grave tone of voice. When he has finished speaking, Swiftstrike returns his gaze to the stars, staring almost longingly through space and Crossfire silently follows his gaze.

/Do you know where he went?/ Crossfire asks, realizing that Swiftstrike hasn't said anything about where Thundercracker is.

/Thundercracker said you would know. Do you know what he meant by that?/ Swiftstrike murmurs confused. He turns to face Crossfire again, gauging the red and grey dominant with calculating, searching optics.

Crossfire's wings flare wide for a klik before he regains control over his emotions, and he nods slowly, contemplative, when he meets Swiftstrike's stare.

/Yes, I think I know what he meant. Have you chosen the seekers to follow me or can I make some choices of my own?/ He asks, hesitating. If Thundercracker is where he believes the Winglord to be, then he would very much prefer to have the seekers who are familiar with the alien planet with him on this adventure.

/There are a few seekers among the clans I have ordered to come, solely because I don't trust them to not make a bid for power while Thundercracker is missing. I also want you to take Silvershade and his trine with you, but beyond that it is all up to you to choose among the members of our own clan and those the other clans are sending. I don't want the strike force to solely consist of our own clan members. It would weaken us dangerously if so many of our strongest members left for an unforeseeable amount of time./ Swiftstrike answers seriously.

Sky Above!

Swiftstrike's words hit Crossfire with a sudden realization and he groans inwardly.

What is he going to do with Starfall? Should his sparked trinemate follow him or stay behind? Just the mere thought of leaving the newly sparked carrier behind stirs his protective coding, and he barely manages to quell the instinct prompting him to run back to his resting area to make sure that his trinemates are okay.

/What is it, Crossfire?/ Swiftstrike asks when he sees the sudden tension in the red and grey dominant's wings.

/I just sparked Starfall./ Crossfire answers with a deep frustrated sigh.

Swiftstrike's features soften slightly in understanding, and he gently pats Crossfire on the shoulder in a rare show of affection.

/Would you prefer to stay home? I'm sure I can find someone else to lead the strike force. I know Thundercracker will understand./ He asks, fully understanding Crossfire's sudden dilemma.

Crossfire desperately wants to take the offer. His coding is practically screaming at him to accept it. Last time they visited the alien planet some of their people almost didn't make it. Sky Above, it is a miracle that Skywarp's seekerling survived the trials. And now he is about to send the carrier of his newspark into an unknown adventure on that very same planet.

A distant meteor shower lights up the sky, and Crossfire silently watches the colorful glints of light while his processor feverishly works to come up with a decision.

If he is to keep Starfall and their newspark safe, then he will have to abandon Thundercracker, but the Winglord clearly needs him. He offlines his optics with a deep sigh, and Swiftstrike can see Crossfire's inner turmoil displayed in the erratic twitches of his wings.

/Thundercracker might understand why I stay home, but you know just like me that if he demands me, then he has a very good reason to do so. I can't fail him, even if I would prefer to keep Starfall and our newspark safe by staying home./ Crossfire answers, determined, when he onlines his optics again. It pains him to make this decision and his protective coding keeps screaming at him, but Thundercracker trusts him to be there when the Winglord demands it. It is the burden of his high position in their society.

Swiftstrike acknowledges his decision with a nod and a little smile.

The clan leader knew this would be the reaction to his offer.

Crossfire is one of Thundercracker's most trusted and loyal seekers. There is a special bond between the Winglord Trine and Crossfire's and Silvershade's trines. The two high ranking dominants have proven their loyalty and worth throughout the trials they have been through together with the members of the Winglord's trine. Silvershade and his trine has saved Skywarp's life more times than anyone can count during the time of Thundercracker's insanity, and Crossfire has proven himself to the Winglord during the trials on Earth. All three trines are ready to defend and protect each other if needed, and Silvershade and Crossfire is allowed closer to Thundercracker's family than any other dominant. There is an uncommon spark deep trust between the three dominants.

It is also the reason why Crossfire stands unrivaled as Thundercracker's lieutenant. No one dares to challenge the red and grey seeker on the position in fear of what Thundercracker will do. Every dominant has the right to challenge Crossfire for the prominent position, but it doesn't mean that they automatically will have the Winglord's favor if they do win the position.

Thundercracker can be rather merciless when he wants to and it serves a purpose.

/There is no need to worry, Crossfire. Starfall will be safe with both you and Thundercracker nearby. You know that our Winglord won't allow any harm to come to a carrier. He is going to protect your trinemate and his newspark viciously should it be needed. I can't imagine any place safer than in the vicinity of our Winglord./ Swiftstrike reassures with a knowing glance towards Spitfire.

/Sire has always been rather overprotective towards his mates and carriers in general. Your mates will be safe. Carrier and carra are strong submissives, they are going to take good care of your carrier and newspark if you or Sire can't./ Spitfire adds humorously, the elegant baritone in his voice vibrating in the air around them. Not as impressive as Thundercracker's, but distinct enough to know who sired the dominant.

Spitfire and Swiftstrike's words reassure Crossfire, and he relaxes as his coding slowly eases. Of course Thundercracker will protect Starfall. What worries him is why the Winglord isn't returning. Swiftstrike still hasn't said anything about why Thundercracker left in the first place.

/Spitfire is going to stay home and enact his right as Thundercracker's eldest dominant creation, in case issues arise. And if it is needed, I'm going to transfer all the rights of leadership to him to strengthen his position. He is strong enough to execute our ancient rules in Thundercracker's absence, and I hope it is going to keep the dissident and feuds between and within the clans at a minimum while most of our strongest seekers are gone. I don't want something like last time happening. Our society is still healing from the instability./ Swiftstrike adds, nodding towards Spitfire, who straightens and then bows before the temporary Winglord.

/I am at your disposition, Winglord./ The red dominant pledges his willing submission.

It shocks Crossfire to see the young strong dominant bow in submission to the smaller and weaker clan leader, but it verifies without a doubt that Spitfire is a defender. His urge to protect and defend the people from harm is so strong, that he goes against basic coding and ignores the ingrained rules defining the hierarchy among the dominants. The weak bows to the strong, but Spitfire is confident enough to allow this open show of affection towards his people, which his challengers would see as a sign of weakness. Coding might define it as weakness, but to him, his offer is a show of strength. If the need arise, Spitfire is taking upon himself to go through what Thundercracker did at his return.

/May I ask why Thundercracker left in the first place?/ Crossfire asks hesitantly, curious as to what could cause the Winglord to leave them so suddenly.

Swiftstrike acknowledges Spitfire's offer of submission and protection with deep thankful nod before he looks to Crossfire with a foreboding look in his optics.

/Starscream. That is all that I know./ He answers Crossfire's question darkly.

Sky Above!

Let them be safe.

/When do I leave?/ Crossfire asks, renewed worry seizing his spark. He is already memorizing who to visit to give the order for their departure.

/I expect you to depart within two orns. It all depends on how fast the clans are to react to my order. Do what you must to prepare for your departure, but be ready to move out within the next orn. I want to dispatch the forces as quickly as possible. It is impossible to know what is holding up Thundercracker. You need to be prepared for everything and anything./ Swiftstrike impels urgently. His cold façade finally cracks and his worry shows in the slight tremble of his wings.

/I will be ready. If that is all, then I will take my leave and begin to prepare./ Crossfire answers dutifully, acknowledging both of the other dominants with a respectful dip of his wings.

/Go and be with your sparked trinemate. Reassure him that everything will be fine and then do what you must to be ready within an orn./ Swiftstrike answers and responds with a dip of his own wings. Spitfire does likewise, closing the meeting, and Crossfire turns around to walk back to the center of the resting area.

One orn isn't much time. They need to scout the area around the spacebridge and prepare the seekers who are to leave together with him for the challenging travel it is going to be. Even if he longs to curl around Starfall and whisper reassuring words in the carrier's audios, there is so much he needs to do before he can do that.

Instead of walking back to his own resting area, he sets a direct course towards where Silvershade's resting area is located.

As he closes in on his destination, he can see that Silvershade isn't recharging yet. Instead, the white and silver dominant is enjoying an intimate moment together with one of his trinemates, and Crossfire stops a respectful distance away to not disturb him.

A faint affectionate smile plays on his lips as he watches Silvershade together with Allevaria. Allevaria is already caught up in a dizzying haze of arousal, and doesn't fight when Silvershade passionately exposes his neck and sensually licks at the delicate energon lines located there. A stuttering moan of pain leaves Allevaria when Silvershade pierces one of the tempting energon lines, but he closes his optics when the pleasure the dominant is feeding the rest of his frame drowns out the intense sting of pain from his neck.

Silvershade positions them and thrusts into the submissive's open and inviting valve, growling appreciatively at the feeling of the hot wetness enveloping his throbbing spike. He sets a hard and fast pace, timing it with every suck on the submissive's bleeding energon line, knowing that he won't last long. It is a potent combination to be feeding while interfacing, and he can feel how Allevaria silently urges him on, clearly nearing his own breaking point.

Overload claims him suddenly and hard, and he releases his hold on Allevaria's energon line as he roars his completion. His spike pulses painfully with every intense release of transfluid, and he staggers above the submissive, fighting to not collapse and crush the smaller seeker beneath him. Allevaria's overload nearly sends him collapsing and he hisses at the rhythmical tremors of the valve against his sensitizing spike. They both breathe heavily with their optics locked in deep affection as they enjoy the pleasant afterglow of the intense interface.

Silvershade checks that the small wounds his fangs have created in Allevaria's neck have healed before he lowers his helm to affectionately nudge his olfactory sensor against the submissive's, his optics full of love for his trinemate. The dominant's caring gesture prompts Allevaria to lean up and allow him to kiss him passionately, before Silvershade lifts his heavy frame off of the smaller seeker.

Kissing is a new intimate way for them to show affection towards their submissives. Thundercracker had introduced them to the strange connecting of lips when he had returned from the alien planet. At first it had aroused suspicion, especially among the dominants, but then it slowly began to spread when Thundercracker openly used the gesture to show affection for his submissives. To see Starscream's and Skywarp's reactions to the gentle touch of lips made many curious and not a few submissives insistent to try.

After that it spread like a wildfire and now they all use it.

/Silvershade?/ He calls to get the other dominant's attention. Silvershade turns around sharply with a growl, his optics narrowed, until he recognizes Crossfire and his threatening features eases.

/Crossfire. What can I do for you? I thought you were recharging already./ Silvershade answers in surprise. He straightens and walks over to where Crossfire is standing, while Allevaria and Salvacia entwine and lazily enter recharge, leaving the two dominants to speak in privacy.

/Not yet./ Crossfire replies, calmly waiting for Silvershade to join him. He gestures for the other dominant to follow him as he begins to walk away from the resting areas.

When they are a bit more secluded, he stops and turns to face Silvershade.

/I need you and your mates to be prepared to leave in an orn. Swiftstrike is sending a strike force to locate Thundercracker and I'm going to lead it. He wants you and your trine to accompany me./ Crossfire explains to Silvershade in a low hushed voice.

/You know where he is?/ Silvershade whispers, his optics full of hope.

/Yes./ Crossfire answers, certain that he is right in his deduction.

/We will be prepared. Find me if you need anything. I will do what I can to help you./ Silvershade answers determined. They have all feared what has happened to Thundercracker, and now they have the chance to find out what is going on with the Winglord.

/I will. I have more to do this night, but I wish you a good recharge. You need to prepare your mates. It won't be an easy travel. The alien world where I believe that Thundercracker is can be unforgiving and there is no prey for us to feed from. We need to be ready to deal with everything. I can't rule out that something might have happened to our Winglord and that their abilities will be needed./ Crossfire adds seriously.

Silvershade nods in understanding. He has heard the awful tales from those who had been with Thundercracker when the Winglord and the group following him had been captured and taken to the alien world by the grounders attacking them. It doesn't sound like a pleasant planet to explore. He wishes Crossfire a good recharge and walks back to his recharging submissives. Crossfire watches him gently shield the two entwined seekers with one of his large wings before entering recharge.

It is first several cycles later that Crossfire finds rest between his own trinemates. He curls protectively around Starfall, murmuring comforting words into the recharging carrier's audio before slowly entering recharge himself. Meanwhile a large contingent of seekers is out scouting the entry point to the alien planet, while another contingent is gathering the resources the strike force needs when it ventures to the planet holding none of their usual prey. Crossfire isn't going to take any chances with the group he is going to lead, and wants to be prepared for a longer stay on the alien world.

In Kaon, this night turns into one of the remaining Decepticons' worst nightmares.

The only time on the planet where they can feel somewhat safe from hunting seekers turn into chaos, when a large contingent of seekers without warning overflies the ruined city-state, diving and capturing their unsuspecting vulnerable prey.

Anguished and fearful screams follow the cacophony of toppling buildings, when the seekers mercilessly dig out their prey from the last safe locations beneath the large buildings, completely emptying Kaon of the last remaining refuges living there, turning them into the resources Crossfire and the large strike force needs when it travels to Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to CalliopeGalaxy from FF.Net for betaing this chapter.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is finally happening. I'm updating Origin with a completely new chapter. I hope you like it as much as my beta did.
> 
> Enjoy!:D

Starscream's wings lower in sadness when he hears the door into the medbay close behind him. Staring back over his shoulder at the obstacle now separating him from his creator, tears begin to slowly fall from his optics. He can hear the faint sound of First Aid's raised voice through the door and sympathizes with the younger medic's panic. It is an understandable reaction to Thundercracker's ultimatum. Skywarp caresses his right wing gently to get his attention and Starscream startles out of his teary daze.

/It's going to be okay, Starscream. Don't worry./ Skywarp reassures softly, seeing the tears and sadness in his tricolored mate's optics.

Starscream stares silently into Skywarp's optics, seeing so much care and understanding there. It nearly breaks him, but instead of giving voice to his internal turmoil, he turns around and silently follows Thundercracker down the narrow corridors leading towards the exit of the Autobot base.

Skywarp follows suit, warily watching Starscream's lowered wings. It is obvious that something is wrong with his tricolored mate, and he had hoped Starscream would have opened up and told him what it is that is bothering him. Looking towards Thundercracker, he senses a distance coming from the blue seeker as well, but suspects that it has something to do with the dominant's current mental instability.

::Thunder?:: He inquires to get Thundercracker's attention, but nothing happens. It takes several inquiries before he finally gets a reaction from the blue seeker.

::Yes, Skywarp?:: Thundercracker responds curtly. His strict tone is a clear warning to Skywarp, showing that Thundercracker clearly isn't his usual self.

::Nothing. It's nothing.:: Skywarp decides to not bother Thundercracker with Starscream's distress. Thundercracker has enough to fight with already. He shouldn't burden the Winglord further.

Silence is Thundercracker's only response.

When they pass by the door into the recreational room, Starscream hesitates. He stares inside for a few kliks, but looks away in anguish at the sight of his former family gathered at their tables, enjoying their free time.

They don't know it yet, but their world has come undone.

He doesn't notice the moment when Sideswipe and Sunstreaker looks up from where they are sitting together with Optimus and Prowl in the center of the room. The twins are being debriefed about their nightly escapade with the seekers and what caused them to be where they were this morning. Seeing him standing in the doorway, their optics brighten, but when they notice the sadness displayed by his wings and stance, they share a worried glance.

::Are you okay, Starscream?:: Skywarp asks worried, yearning to ease the sudden distressed tautness in the tricolored seeker's wings. He notices Starscream's diverted attention and takes a look through the doorway. Seeing the grounders gathered in small groups around their tables, his worry eases a bit and his spark fills with even more care for his mate.

::I don't know, Sky. I don't know anything anymore. Ratchet I can understand, but everyone else? I can't handle seeing them be killed because they won't change. I can't! What am I going to do? Why is Thundercracker doing this to me?!:: Starscream despairs, shaking violently. The sight of his former family enjoying life, while unaware of the fateful cataclysm wrought upon them, finally breaks him and all of the conflicting feelings within him surfaces uncontrolled. In fear of reprisal from Thundercracker, he only just manages to block the dominant from sensing his flood of affronted and panicking feelings.

Skywarp closes the distance between them, reassuringly touching the taut wings, relieved that Starscream finally reveals what it is that is troubling him. With a gentle nudge, he motions for Starscream to move away from the doorway and the sight of the Autobots inside the rec room. Starscream is reluctant to move too far away and stops a few steps further down the corridor. Accepting Starscream's reluctance, Skywarp begins to rub soothing motions into the taut white wings, trying to ease their stiffness and relax their owner.

::I know it is hard for you, Starscream. But our god is interfering in everything that is happening right now, pulling us towards a greater goal. You have to trust that The Sky Above knows what he is doing, and focus your attention on the here and now. We need to merge with Thundercracker to stabilize him. We need him strong and capable in the time ahead. That is our current goal.:: Skywarp gently murmurs as he meticulously works to get Starscream to relax.

::I completely forgot…:: Starscream sobs guiltily, his wings lowering in shame. He had promised Thundercracker that they would merge and he had completely forgotten it, everything else overshadowing it. If Skywarp hadn't reminded him, if they both had forgotten what he had promised Thundercracker… In the dominant's current state of mind, it could have destroyed Thundercracker completely. Everything would have fallen into chaos.

::Your worry is understandable, Starscream. These grounders are still a part of your family and you care greatly about them. They saved you, raised you, and when the time came, they let you go to be with your true people, but they will always be a part of you.:: Skywarp murmurs soothingly, gently lifting the lowered wings.

::Thank you for understanding, Sky.:: Starscream sobs, grateful that Skywarp understands his peril.

::Of course I understand, Thundercracker does as well. We have seen the memories from your time among them and felt the feelings connected to those memories. We know what these grounders mean to you. It is the reason for Thundercracker to state the ultimatum, despite how merciless it might seem. He can only protect them from harm if they become seekers. If they refuse this gift from our god, then he can't do anything to protect them from their fate. The Sky Above might be manipulating us by pulling strings here and there, but in the end it all relies on Thundercracker to pull this through without the loss of lives.:: Skywarp explains, his voice deadly serious, as he resumes the soothing strokes along Starscream's wings.

::Gift from the god?:: Starscream inquires confused. He turns to face Skywarp with a deep frown, silently demanding further explanation.

::Yes.:: Skywarp nods, meeting Starscream's inquiring gaze. ::It is very rare for our god to intervene directly in our lives. Only certain circumstances allow him to do so without grave consequences. One of them was when he healed Thundercracker's ruined coding. Another is the way he is manipulating us now. I know you have little knowledge of our heat, and that your first heat was spurred on by the god. Ratchet being sparked is not normal, not with the radical changes happening to your creator's frame. It isn't possible for us to be sparked during such an extensive strain on our frames. The fact that it did happen, tells me that The Sky Above is interfering directly, and that he will do so with everyone that accepts Thundercracker's demand. Turning them into carrying seekers is our god's way of protecting them by forcing Thundercracker's coding to naturally defend them against harm.:: He elaborates calmly with a small smile.

::Primus!:: Starscream stares with wide optics, lips agape in shock, at Skywarp's revelation.

::Now you are doing it again.:: Skywarp admonishes with laughter before he continues, ::That is why we need to merge and stabilize Thundercracker. He is the key to their survival. If he is seen as weak by his challengers, then no one is safe.::

::Sky Above, you are right, Sky.:: Starscream agrees, correcting his utterance with a little shameful smile. He has learnt it the hard way that the seekers' society doesn't take lightly to him addressing their god by the designation given by the grounders. Thundercracker has had to defend him a few times in challenges issued because he tends to forget to use the god's true designation.

The next moment the smile fades as he refocuses on the serious matter at hand.

Thundercracker.

Looking down the corridor leading to the exit of the Autobot base, he expects to find Thundercracker standing there impatiently waiting for them, but it is empty and his spark fills with worry. Apparently Thundercracker hasn't noticed that they stopped following him and moved on towards the exit.

/Teleport us outside the exit./ He urges Skywarp, grabbing hold on his mate, while he prays to The Sky Above that Thundercracker hasn't realized their missing presence. In his instability, their missing presence is bound to fuel the spark-deep fear and uncertainty filling their mate and complicate the process of reassuring Thundercracker about their continued affection. However, in his hurry, Starscream doesn't realize that he is still blocking Thundercracker in his spark.

Thundercracker attacks them the moment they materialize outside the entrance into the buried spaceship. With a roar, the blue seeker forcefully slams Starscream up against the nearest wall enclosing them down in the crack, knocking the air out of him, before pinning him forcibly with his massive frame.

/You blocked me from the bond, closed me out! Why?!/ Thundercracker roars in anger, but his optics shows anguish and fear. Starscream remains silent while he slowly recovers from the painful impact with the wall, and Thundercracker withdraws forcefully from him, turning his back to both of his mates, realizing what he had just done. The large blue wings trembles violently with distress, showing for the first time how unstable the Winglord truly is.

Opening his bond with the blue seeker, Starscream is flooded by the intensity of Thundercracker's feelings, and nearly chokes on them as they assault him. A spark-deep fear of rejection pulses through the bond, followed by an even deeper fear of losing their love and affection. Horrible images flitter through his awareness, Thundercracker's emotions so strong and chaotic that they manifest in ways usually only possible during a merge. He sees images of love and happiness turn to moments of hate and anger as Thundercracker's fear and uncertainty distort them into his worst nightmares.

::No, Thundercracker. That will never happen.:: Starscream states softly, optics welling with tears at the root-deep fear inside his blue mate.

::We will always love you, Thundercracker.:: Skywarp fiercely supports Starscream's statement and walks up to the blue seeker to affectionately caress along the trembling wings. However, all it does is causing Thundercracker to wrench away from the touch with a weak piteous whine.

::You don't want me.:: Thundercracker murmurs weakly, slowly withdrawing in the bond, closing it off.

/Yes, we do!/ Starscream insists, moving to follow Skywarp's example. Soon they have Thundercracker between them, lavishing the large powerful frame with gentle touches and caresses, slowly coaxing Thundercracker to relax and accept their touch.

/You aren't angry at me for not telling you?/ Thundercracker hesitantly asks several breems later. He is still sandwiched between his mates with Skywarp caressing the back of his wings, stroking the sensitive areas in comfort, while Starscream is in front of him, massaging his chestplates and nuzzling into his frame.

/No./ Starscream answers, looking up into his blue mate's optics. /You have your reasons for not telling me, and I think it is for the better that Ratchet and First Aid found out on their own./ he adds with a little reassuring smile.

/And the ultimatum?/ Thundercracker adds timidly, his look into Starscream's optics still showing his lingering uncertainty.

/I appreciate your attempt to save them from their fate, but I'm not sure that an ultimatum is the right choice. You saw how they acted when they saw Ratchet. I fear it will be impossible for them to accept that they need to change if they want to survive./ Starscream answers, venting his inner despair.

A wisp of encouragement from Skywarp has Starscream straining to reach for Thundercracker's lips, to kiss the blue seeker affectionately. Noticing Starscream's attempt to reach for his lips, Thundercracker crumbles and kneels to allow his tricolored mate to show him affection. Thundercracker reciprocates willingly when their lips meet, and Starscream offlines his optics, savoring the calm the kiss fills him with. When Starscream onlines his optics again, Thundercracker's are still offline, and he takes it as a good sign.

/We need to merge./ He murmurs against the dominant's lips and Thundercracker's optics onlines, staring deeply into his own. /I have the perfect spot for us to initiate it, somewhere I know both you and Skywarp are going to love. Will you allow me to lead?/ Starscream asks with a little smile.

/Yes./ Thundercracker breaks the kiss completely and turns around, offering Skywarp the chance to show affection as well, and the black and purple seeker kisses him passionately.

/We love you with all of our sparks, Thunder. Never ever doubt that./ Skywarp states affectionately, nuzzling his helm against Thundercracker's cheek and neck when the kiss is broken.

/Are you ready?/ Starscream asks, his optics full of happiness and excitement. He brings his thrusters online and lifts-off to hover a bit above the ground, patiently, yet impatiently, waiting for his mates to move out.

Thundercracker answers with a curt nod while Skywarp flashes him a wide eager smile. They mirror him a moment later and shoot up from the crack in unity. Circling the volcano several times, enjoying the air under their wings, it takes a few kliks before they settle into trine formation with Starscream in the lead and flies away from the Autobot base.

Their departure doesn't go unnoticed.

Hiding in the lush green foliage surrounding the volcano, Ravage watches the three seekers closely as they interact before taking off. As they gain flight and overfly his hiding spot, the felinoid crouches further down in the bushes and stills all systems to prevent any detection from the sensitive sensors littering the flying predators' wings. When the seekers are out of detection range, the spy resumes his position, watching as Teletraan informs the Autobots about the seekers flight away from the volcano.

With a hiss, he retreats to make a report to his master.

Inside the Decepticon base located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, Soundwave silently receives the felinoid's report. With a few tabs to the main console, he taps into one of the humans' satellites he has hacked into a few cycles prior, and begins to track the three seekers in their flight.

It is imperative for his plan that the three seekers are far enough away to not risk an unexpected ambush from the flying predators.

Their trajectory and speed indicate that they are going on a longer trip, and he follows them for a few breems as they fly south across the continent. Satisfied that the annoying seekers are out of reach, he sets the systems to inform him about their further movements. Then he turns around in his chair to stare at the few Decepticons working with him in the command center.

"Attack commencing. Primary objective: obliterate Autobot medbay and kill remaining medic. Secondary objective: eradicate the Autobots." He drones, before turning to face a tiny mech sitting off to his right.

Pace, once a lowly assistant tutoring under Shockwave, meets his gaze warily. "I'm not yet done with upgrading all the scramblers, Sir. But I have managed to complete the work on roughly 69%. You will have to decide who gets the full protection, and who doesn't." Pace nervously answers Soundwave's wordless inquiry.

Soundwave nods in silent acknowledge and Pace visibly relaxes at his leader's acceptance. There are so few scientists left and they are all doing what they can to support the fighting. He returns his attention to the device in front of him and the unfinished scrambler. He is almost done with it, and if he can fix it before their departure, one more of their warriors can get full protection against being detected by seekers.

He absentmindedly listens to the murmurs around him and hears as the order to move out is issued. No one disturbs him, knowing that his work is invaluable, and he welds the last wire as the last of the warriors leave the command center to report to their assigned officer.

Closing the cover to the delicate inner workings of the device, he hurries after the others, scrambler in hand. Handing it off to the first unprotected warrior he meets, he heads towards the main group gathered at exit G, and dutifully reports his presence to Gearshift, his assigned officer.

Joining up with the few other scientists present, he joins in on their small talk as they wait for the final call to arms. During a battle, they are acting as medical support, and don't participate directly in combat. Their frames are too small and fragile to withstand damage, but have the delicate specs needed for a field medic.

"ATTENTION!" Gearshift yells above the noisy chatter among the troops in his group, gaining their full attention as all talk silences. Moments later the final order is given with a repeat of the battle's main objectives, and they all begin to file out. Pace follows his group of scientists to a medium sized vessel and straps himself in while looking at the warriors transforming into their powerful vehicles and taking off.

This is it.

The final battle and it is going to be a bloodbath.

With an uneasy feeling in his spark, he offlines his optics as the vessel comes to life with a mighty roar.

"Primus save my spark should I die, but please let me live." The prayer unwarranted escapes his lips as they begin to move, and he stares out into the dark depths of the ocean as they are carried towards their destination.

_I don't want to die._


End file.
